Out of Love
by lionesseshuntbetterinpacks
Summary: *modern day* Teen pregnancy is a big issue in Panem, but mostly solved with an abortion, but when Katniss gets pregnant at 16, she struggles to make the best decision for the baby, but also for her. Katniss struggles to find the inner strength to let go, but she learns becoming a parent means sacrificing, some sacrifices bigger than others.
1. Chapter 1

**_Hey guys, this is my first fanfiction. I've had this idea for ever, I'll probably continue this story. _**

**_I don't own the Hunger Games, it belongs to the brilliant Suzanne Collins! :) enjoy _**

Hi, My name is Katniss. I'm 16 years old and live in District 12. I get straight A's in school and my GPA is a 4.2. I may only be 16, but I'm already on full scholarship to Panem College in the Capitol for soccer. My dad died in a mine explosion when I was only 11 years old and I have been providing for my 12 year old sister Prim and my mom ever since. My bestfriends are Gale, Johanna, Madge, Annie, and Finnick. My boyfriend Peeta and I have known each other since kindergarten and have been dating for five years now. Even after all these years, Peeta's mother hasn't warmed up to me, she actually calls me a Seam Rat. My sister loves Peeta, but my mom thinks Gale is a better suit for me because we're both from the Seam and he also provides for his family too. But I hope all of us can get along very soon because I'm pregnant!

March, three months pregnant

Peeta is the only one who knows about my pregnancy, he promised to stick by me the whole time even when the baby is here. I know Peeta means what he says, he always does, but spring break is in a few weeks, and I'm just worried everyone will see my baby bump when I go to the beach with my friends for break.

I know I need to tell my Mom to get the vitamins I need, but I'm just worried on how she will react. The big thing that scares me about my pregnancy is I won't be able to go hunting, and I'll have to stop going to work to take care of the baby. Since my dad died, my mom fell into a deep depression, that left me to provide for my sister who was only seven at the time. _I still remember the look on my sisters face when I couldn't find any food, her ribs were beginning to show. My dad taught me how to use the bow, but I wasn't very good at it. I decided to go into town and look through the trash, no luck. The last place I went was at the town bakery. I was going through the trash in the rain, maybe about 45 degrees, Peeta's mom, came outside, called me a Seam Rat, through a pan at me and told me to never come back here. _

_The tears started to pour down my face, I walked about 50 yards to a nearby tree and just pulled my legs up into the fetal position and that's when I heard the Baker's Wife started to scream at their youngest son, she beat him on the side of the face with a roller 'No one decent enough will buy bread that's burned, feed it to the pigs!' she scream and walked back inside. What happened next surprised me, the boy through the bread towards me, I took this as a sign that he wanted me to have this. I gather up enough strength and grabbed the bread. I make eye contact with him, I remember him now, his name's Peeta, I'm pretty sure he's in my class. 'Thank you.' I mouth. _

_Peeta walks out towards me, I remember shaking from being cold. 'Are you okay?' Peeta asks. I nod. 'Thank you, you have no idea how much this means.' The tears come even harder. Peeta grabs me and pulls me in a tight embrace, I bury my head into his chest and he lets me cry my eyes out. I pull away. I can't wait to see Prim's face when she sees I have found food, this might be her first time eating in five days. And plus this bread is from the bakery, food from the bakery is stuff we could never afford. 'I have to go, my sister is waiting on me. Thank you so much, I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow.' I say with a smile. 'Yeah I'll see you tomorrow.' Peeta says, I walk away._

_With this little act of kindness, it gave me enough confidence to go out into the woods to hunt again, this is how I met my friend Gale, Peeta and I started to talk daily and introduced me to his friends Finnick, Annie, Gale and Johanna, and I introduced them to Madge. A few weeks later, Peeta asked me out, and ever since then, we've been dating._

I feel a paper ball hit me, I look back and Johanna threw it at me telling me to read it I think. _You ready for break? I can't wait! Better bring some condoms ;) _ I laugh at the last sentence, she has no idea. I look back and smile at her.

"Ms. Everdeen. I think it's in your best interest to pay attention to this lecture." My teacher Mrs. Cash snaps. Mrs. Cash has never been too fond of me, it might be because she lives in town and I live in the Seam. The difference of the town and the Seam is like Heaven and Hell. The Seam is where poorer people live, normally there is no electricity, running water, children die daily from starvation, the roads are dirt and have many pot holes in them, paint peeling, and the houses are run down. In town, the roads are brick, children don't normally die from starvation, the houses are nice and not run down.

The bell dismissing fourth period rings and the class rushes out. I wait by the door for Johanna who is still gathering her things. "I cannot wait for break, the beach house, and no worries for over a week." she begins. "No parents, no people from school, no drama." Like I said, Peeta only knows about my pregnancy, we're telling our families and friends tomorrow but I want to tell her today. I take a few deep breathes while I walk to her locker with her.

"Johanna?" I say while my voice shakes. "Hmm?" She replies not looking at me while she trades out binders and textbooks. I take another few deep breathes, "I'm...I'm pregnant." My voice shakes even more. Suddenly she stops everything she's doing and looks at me. "Really? Pregnant as in carrying a baby?" She seems kind of shocked, she probably thought she would be hearing this from Finnick and Annie instead of Peeta and I. "Yeah. I'm about three months." I try to smile, but the tardy bell rings. "Come on Johanna, we're going to be late. Don't want to be late to Algebra again." I start to walk through the deserted hallways but she grabs my arm before I can get fully away. "I don't care. Who else knows? Does Peeta even know?" "You're the one who knows besides Peeta, but he's already promised me he won't leave me." Johanna still gives me a disappointing look, like_ you need to tell your families look. _"I know I need to tell my mom, but we're telling our families tomorrow."

I start the walk to Algebra, I walk in late, and everyone stares at me like they already know I'm pregnant. _Boy, this is going to be a long seven months. _

After two more classes, the bell rings to go home, Peeta meets me at my locker, my eyes are filled with guilt. "Hey, haven't seen you since lunch." Peeta whispers while he puts an arm around me. Peeta and I second and lunch together. "What's wrong?" Peeta asks, he can see right through me regardless on how hard I try to hide it. "Peeta, we need to tell our families today. I can't hide this bump for much longer." My baby bump isn't noticeable, unless you known to look for it, but it grows every day. "We can tell them whenever you want Hun." Peeta says, his voice seems really soothing right now. "After school, we'll tell your parents first, because my mom won't be home from work, I have practice, and after practice, come by my house, and we'll tell my mom and Prim through dinner." "Whatever you say." Peeta smirks and gives me a peck on my cheek.

We pull up into Peeta's driveway and see his dad is sweeping the porch, his family owns the town's bakery and their house is also inside. "Hi Mr. Mellark." I say a give him a quick hug. "It's nice to see you both, I have some cookies on the counter if you want some." My stomach growls in response. "Actually Dad, Katniss and I need to tell you and Mom something." Peeta says a little nervously. "Of coarse, I think she's in the living room."

We make our way into the living room. Peeta's parents sit on the leather love seat, while Peeta and I sit on the coach across from them. They almost have more furniture in this one room than I have in my entire house, almost.

"Katniss and I have a very important topic to discuss." Peeta says. "Well you better not be marrying that Seam Rat." Peeta's mom, who I call _The_ Witch, snaps. Even after five years, his mom still hates me. But I have learned to shake off any rude comments she makes about me. "Actually Katniss and I are welcoming a new addition to the Mellark and Everdeen Family. But it's not marriage, it's a baby." There, we finally said it, now we have await their reactions. It feels like years before one of them speaks up, I guess it's a lot to take in, especially if your child is having a baby at 16.

"As much as I'm happy for you both, I'm a little disapointed in the both of you. A baby is a very costly and demanding, and you're both still sophmores " Peeta's dad says, at least I'll know he'll be here for us. "Forget about cost, when are you getting a damn abortion?" Peeta's mom blurts out. Even for Peeta's mom, that is a little harsh. "We're not getting an abortion," I speak up. "It's not the baby's fault its going to be born, it's ours." "We'll are you going to chose adoption? Because I'm not going to help with the expenses as long as The Rat is in the baby's life."

I've had enough and walk out on the house onto the porch. I lean against the cool, brick building and slide down onto the ground and start to cry. Peeta quickly follows me. "Katniss, she didn't mean it. Don't cry, we want our baby to know we're happy it's on it's way." I'm happy the baby is on it's way, but this is no place for it to grow up. "Keep your head up darling, your tiara is falling." I chuckle at that, that's what I always tell Prim when she's upset about something.

"I have to go Peeta, I have practice in a hour." He gives me a hand up. "Do you want me to give you a ride home so you don't have to walk?" Peeta asks, I look into his ocean blue eyes and give him a quick kiss. "I'm fine, I need to just think about some things. Come over about 7 for dinner." With that said, I walk down the three steps onto the road and make my way home to the Seam. I quickly get dressed in my soccer uniform and begin to walk to Central Park, where my club team practices soccer. I'm a midfielder, so I can still play and practice until I get too big to run, which at the rate I'm growing, it won't be much longer.

Practice was nothing special, we play a team from the capitol next weekend were they get top training and equipment, so we did a lot of possession games and shooting drills. I try to enjoy my last few practices because pretty soon, I won't be able to play. I catch a ride home from my friend Sarah, she lives in town, but the Seam isn't that far away from her house.

"I'm home!" I shout, the house I live in is a three bedroom 1.5 bath, so for the most part, we all share one bathroom because the toilet in one does not work. "Peeta's coming over for dinner too." I add, I know my mom is home, she might be gardening in our small, backyard, gardening with Prim, it's one of the only things we can afford to do as a family. I walk up the wooden stairs and stare at a picture of my father and I when it was my first day of school, I feel a small tear run down my face, everything was so different back then my smile, with my dress, and my braids; it looked like I actually was enjoying my life, I wasn't providing for my mom and sister, and for sure pregnant. I grab the tub where we shower, since there is really no running water, we keep a bucket filled with water for bathes and stuff. The water feels cool against my skin, but after a long and humid practice, it feels nice. I get out of the tub and dry my hair a little, I put it in it's traditional braid, a Dutch Braid going across my head. And grab one of my hunting shirts with some running shorts, well cloths sewn together by Prim that she gave me for Christmas.

I hear a knock on the front door and hear Prim great Peeta. They both get along so well. It makes me smile, I really don't know why, must be the hormones. By the time I get dressed, Peeta is already at the table eating with Mom and Prim. "Hey." I say with a smile and sitting next to Peeta. We have some squirrel (that I caught yesterday with Gale.)with some carrots that we grew in our backyard.

The silence is a little awkward and I took this as a que from God that it was time to tell them. "Mom, Prim, Peeta and I need to tell you something."

"Yes Katniss what is it?" The kindness in her voice is a little shocking to me. It takes all the strength in the world to tell her the truth. "I'm pregnant." There I said it, I'm pregnant, and now, my whole life is going to be ruined. "I figured you were." My mom speaks up, I look at her like _how'd you know? _"Katniss, I work with pregnant women, you were vomiting constantly, the food cravings, you snapped at Prim a few times, which you never do and I noticed you never got your period." That wasn't too bad, I guess it's good she didn't flip out on Peeta like his mom did to me. "But I am disappointed in the both of you, having a baby is a big responsibility, and I can't afford to help support you financially, you're on your own for that part." She says and takes a sip of her milk. "And I'm assuming you have not been taking any vitamins, or have even been to the doctor?" She asks, Peeta and I both shake our heads. "I'll be able to get you an appointment after school tomorrow, but you need to start taking these vitamins." She gets up and looks through the medicine cabinant and hands me a container of pills.

I say good bye to Peeta. The next day at school goes by really slowly. Just like every other day, Peeta meets me at my locker and instead of going home, we go to the hospital, the reception lady recognizes me as 'Natalie's daughter' and leads me to a room, white walls, white tile, white bed, no color, just white. That makes me feel like I'm in some type of mental hospital. "Dr. Aruelius will be with you shortly." The reception lady says and walks out.

Peeta is the first one to break the silence. "I would say lets play ispy, but the room is all white." The sentence makes me laugh, he has such a way with words. Right when I was about to respond, a middle age man walks in. "I'm Dr. Aruelius, and I'll be your doctor from now, until you give birth." He smiles while he's talking, I like this guy already. "Katniss, I need you to lie down on the bed, and pull up your shirt half way." I do as I'm told, it feels a little weird pulling up my shirt to this guy I just met, but might as well get over it, he'll be delivering my baby.

"I'm going to put this gel on you to listen to the heartbeat, your mom said you're about three months, so it's a little early to look at the baby." To my surprise, the gel is a little cool, it makes me jump a little which makes Peeta laugh. Throughout the entire appointment, he is holding my hand. Dr. Aruelis's face looks a little concerned. "Is everything okay?" I ask, I already care about this baby so much even though I never really wanted kids. "You could honestly take this either way, but the heartbeat is a little faster than normal, but normally when this happens, it means you're carrying twins." I feel nervous now, _twins? Really twins? Double the cost, double the trouble. _Dr. Aruelius must realize my concern on my face. "Don't worry, its not definite yet, it's just a possibility." He wipes off my stomach and walks out giving Peeta and I to talk. "Like I said before, I'll always be here for you Katniss." Peeta says. I wonder how he feels, he'll make a great dad. I can hardly even keep my mom and Prim alive, now I'll also be partly responsible for twins too?

Peeta drives me home, I'm home alone, I'm sure Prim is at a friends house doing homework, and Mom still trying to work extra hours. I walk upstairs to my room where I keep one of my most prize possessions, it was my dad's old laptop. I open it and type look up, 'Adoption, District 12,' I click on the first link which was PanemAdoption, I read all about the different types of adoption. I hate to admit it, but maybe Peeta's mom is right, maybe adoption is the best choice especially if I am carrying twins. But how will Peeta react? He's already excited about this baby, he'll make a great Dad, I have no doubt about that, but do we really want them growing up in this type of family?


	2. Chapter 2

April, 4 months pregnant

I still haven't told Peeta about the idea of adoption, I know he'll be crushed, he talks and kisses by stomach whenever he can. Our last doctor's visit, Dr. Aruelis said I could be carrying twins, Peeta and I both agreed not to go on the spring break vacation with Johanna, Madge, Finnick, Annie, and Gale. It would save us a lot of money. Since Peeta has to work an extra shift at the bakery because his older brother Rye is sick and his oldest brother Will, has a college class today.

In the waiting room, it's not white like the examining rooms, in here it has fish tanks, playing movies, wall paper of horses and other animals. I see a lady no older than 32, she has brown hair and green eyes, she looks like she's about to burst, while her daughter has the same brown hair, but brown eyes instead of the green. The mom is telling her daughter on how things will change with her newborn sister. It makes me wonder what Peeta and I's life would be like if we had more kids.

"Katniss Everdeen?" an older lady says. I grab my things, I think that lady I saw earlier is staring at me. "Moma, she looks too young to have a baby." I hear the lady's daughter say. "Shhh, that's not nice." The mom quickly corrects, it's true though, I am too young.

"I'm going to need you step on the scale." The old lady says. She fixes the scale to balance it. "132." She writes it down, "Follow me please." She leads me down the hallway, just like last time, the hallways are all white, no color.

"Dr. Aruelis will be right with you." She says and leaves quickly. It's really lonely without Peeta here with his jokes. _Whatever happens, you'll love these babies no matter what. _The more I think about them, the more I don't want to chose adoption. _This is for them, to give them a life you and Peeta could never give them, to give them a stable household where their whole family wants them. _

****I hear a knock on the door. "Come in." I say. "Hello Katniss, we'll do the same routine as last time, pull up your shirt and I'll put the gel on you." Dr. Aruelis says with his sweet and gentle voice. I do as I'm told, I lay down and pull up my shirt, the bed isn't as soft as I remember it.

Dr. Aruelis puts the gel on my ever growing bump. "If I do remember, I said you could be carrying twins, I bet you want to find out for sure, don't you?" I nod my head. I need to know how I'm going to take care of it. Dr. Aruelis moves the ultrasound equipment along my belly. "Well, you're carrying one baby for sure." I smile with relief, a huge weight has just been taken off my shoulder. "Do you want to know the gender?" He asks. "Peeta and I wanted to find out together, and he had to work an extra shift at the bakery." I explain. "Well," Dr. Aruelis says while wiping the gel of my stomach, "there's always next time. Is there any questions with your pregnancy you wanted to talk about?" I want to ask him what he knows about adoption, but will he think I'm irresponsible?

"Actually, I was looking into adoption, there is no way we could afford this baby, and we want it to have a life it deserves. It's own grandmother wants me to get an abortion, I just couldn't live with myself if I did that." Dr. Aruelis looks at me with his caring eyes. "Adoption is a good option, many people don't think it is because you're not taking responsibility for your mistake. But being a parent is about making sacrifices, and by choosing adoption, you're making a sacrifice that benefits the baby." He hands me an adoption agency card. "Does Peeta know about this?" I shake my head, it makes me feel guilty that I haven't told him and this is his baby too. "He'll be an amazing father, he kisses and talks to the baby whenever he can, this will crush his heart." I feel a tear slide down my cheek. "Adoption is the hardest thing to go through, but normally it's the best. I'll want to see you next week, because you're so young, I want to make sure your body is handling everything properly.

I walk towards the bakery. I see Peeta through the window helping a customer. I walk through the door, the bell rings signalling that someone has entered the bakery. Peeta looks up and gives me a smile but continues helping the customer. Walking behind the counter I smell some cheese buns, he knows me to well. I smile at that.

"Katniss, will you grab me two vanilla cupcakes?" Peeta asks, I get up, I find it easier to walk around when I arch my back, this makes Peeta laugh. _I'll tell him today about the adoption. Today. _I grab the two cupcakes like Peeta asked. The satisfied customer walked out leaving Peeta and I alone. "So are we having a boy or girl?" Peeta asks "I told him I wanted to wait, I wanted you their with me." This makes Peeta laugh, he gives me a kiss on my forehead and tucks a lose strand of hair behind my ear. "And we're only having one baby, not twins." Peeta lets out a breath I didn't even know he was holding. "But, I do want to tell you what the Dr. Aruelis and I talked about too." Peeta's face gets a little concerned. "Lets talk about this on a picnic in the meadow. I've already packed the food." Peeta treats me like I'm a princess, I wonder what he would treat our children like? I guess I'll have to wait if we go through the adoption.

We walk hand in hand down the dirt road where the fence is. It's illegal to go into the forest, especially to hunt. The fence that shows the district boundaries is supposed to be electrified, but Peeta and I both know, its never electrified. Before we crawl under the fence I make sure no one followed us. It's getting harder and harder to go through the small hole under the fence. Peeta crawls through after me and we slowly disapere into the woods. It's easy to get lost, but I've been running around and hunting in these woods since I was very young. It's about a mile walk to the meadow. Normally we make it there in about 20 minutes, but today it almost took us 45 minutes, every 100 yards I had to stop to catch my breath.

The meadow is blossoming with flowers, from dandelions to primroses, the flower my sister was named after. There's also a lake, where my father taught me how to fish and swim, so many bitter sweet memories lie within the meadow, in fact, this is where the baby I'm carrying was conceived. Peeta lays out the blanket and motions for me to sit down, he lifts up my shirt, in class I always catch him staring at the bump, I feel the baby kick. "Did you feel that?" I ask Peeta, "Yeah, was that the baby kicking?" He asks with awe in his eyes. "Yeah, it's the first time he's kicked." Peeta raises an eyebrow at me. "So you think it's a boy?" Yeah, I want him to look like you, your blue eyes, blonde hair, your personality." I explain, but we won't be the one raising this baby, other people will. "Well I want _ her _to look like you. You're brown hair and gray eyes." Peeta leans in for a kiss, I kiss him back, we kiss passionately, I pull away and look at him in the eyes, _yep, I want this baby to have his eyes._ "Katniss, we should think of names. I was thinking for a boy Luke, and for a girl Ainsley." I sigh, he's so into becoming a father and I want to give this baby away to people we don't even know.

"Peeta, I've been wanting to talk about what your mom said, and it got me thinking. Tha-" Peeta inturupts me before I could even finish. "Katniss, don't listen to my mom, she don't know what she's talking about." Peeta says. I ignore what he says. "Anyway, she said something about adoption. When I got home after our first doctors appointment, I looked up adoption and read about it. I found an adoption agency here in District 12. When I went to the doctors again today, I asked Dr. Aruelis, he said adoption is a very good idea, he gave me a card of an agent he's friends with. I know, you really want this baby, but at least think about it. Please?" He sighs, and doesn't respond for a while. He takes another deep breath before talking again, "I know adoption is the best choice, but I don't think I could let him go." Peeta says while playing with some grass. He picks up a dandelion and puts it in my hair. "I love you Peeta." I say, "I love you too Katniss. " He says and we meet in the middle for a kiss.

**Two days later...**

Even though Peeta doesn't want to go through with the adoption, he has agreed at meeting an adoption agent and looking at family profiles. We read all about open adoption where we can get letters, pictures, phone calls, emails, and meet our baby face to face occasionally. We have an appointment today with an adoption agent.

We walk through the automatic doors into the lobby, Peeta checks us in and the lobby person tells us our agent will be right with us. The lobby has hardwood floors with a natural gray walls. I sit on a connected chair and Peeta sits down next to me. "Katniss, I talked to my dad about the adoption, he said that the most responsible thing to do was the adoption, but I just don't think I could ever let it go. I helped create it, and I got to know it for nine months, then all of the sudden, it's gone and I have to wait six months to see it, but as much as I say I don't want adoption, I made a choice, I want to go through the adoption, for the baby, to give it a life we could never provide." Peeta never once looked up, but I could tell he had tears in his eyes, I bring him into a tight hug and we just hold each other for a few minutes until or agent comes to get us.

"Hello my name is Dawn, and I'll be your adoption agent." She holds out her hand for Peeta and I to shake it. Dawn leads us down the hallway where I see several families with children. She takes us into a room filled with more families and kids. I let my curiosity take over. "What are all these pictures of kids and parents of?" "Well," Dawn says as she takes a seat and Peeta and I do the same. "It's how many people we've helped place their children into an adoptive family home." I smile at that, they've must have helped hundreds of families if not even more.

"Well before we can start even looking at families, tell me a little about yourselves and why you want adoption." I look at Peeta. "I'll start." I mouth to Peeta. "We're both only 16, we're too young to raise a baby. I live in the Seam, while Peeta's family owns the bakery. I know he'll stay by me, but his mom isn't welcoming me to keep the baby, she wants me to get an abortion, to chose adoption, I don't want her to win, but it's the best choice." The tears start streaming down my face, Peeta wipes them, "my mom is supporting us, but she says she won't help us out financially. My dad died when I was 11, and my mom fell into a deep depression, that left me to care for my younger sister Prim, I can barely keep us both alive, without a baby." I finish, I try to control my tears, but it's no use. "Peeta, tell me why you want adoption." Dawn says. "It's really the same for Katniss, the type of father I want to be, and what I can give her, is no where near close." Peeta finishes up. "It seams like both of you really do care about your baby." Peeta and I both nod. "I'm not going to scare you, but choosing adoption is easier said than done, it's going to take a lot of inner strength to hand off your baby to another family, but it's always the best."

Dawn gets up and walks to some shelves she has in her room. She grabs a couple of binders and lays them in front of us. "These are the families profiles, what they're like, their jobs, personal life, and almost everything else. Go through this and pick out a family you would like to meet, and we can invite them to get to know them better." Dawn says and gets up from her chair, "I'll see you two in two weeks." She says i pick up the binders Dawn laid out for us and leave.

"That went well." I say trying to start up a conversation. "Yeah, but it's a little bitter sweet. I know it's the best choice for the baby, but it will be hard hearing him call someone else Mommy and Daddy when we're really his parents." I stop and pull Peeta into a tight hug. "So you think it's a boy too now?" I saw smirking at him. "Only because you do." I give him a quick kiss and head our separate ways home

I start to walk on the dirt road down towards the Seam. My house is one of the last ones, and right by the fence opening to enter the woods. As soon as I walk inside my house I feel Prim come up and hug me tight. "Where were you Katniss? You had me worried sick." I can tell she has been crying which made me feel really guilty. "I was with Peeta and an adoption agent." I say laying the binders down. "You never told me or left me a note. I thought we died or something." Prim continues on. "I'm sorry Prim, I'll make sure to tell you next time." I say while lifting her chin up to look at me. "Do you want some dinner? I think I still have some strawberries and some deer from last weekend." She nods and I walk into the kitchen and begin dinner. I know my mom won't be home until later, she tries to work as much as she can to get some cash, but that normally doesn't happen.

I call Prim to dinner and we both sit there in silence, there isn't really much to talk about, nothing new. "Why did you visit an adoption agent?" Prim asks while picking at the deer meet. "Well, we can't really afford this baby, and we want him to grow up in a house where he's loved. Plus we're really young." Prim just nods, I wonder if she'll support me through this, because just like Peeta, I'm sure she would love to be an aunt. We both finish our dinner in silence, Prim volunteers to clean up. I go to my room and start my homework, I still want to graduate on time so I must keep up with school no matter how hard it is.

I go to bed around 10, knowing that I need to get up extra early to go hunting since we're about out of meat. I feel someone start to shake me, "Katniss wake up." It's my mom. "Prim told me you went to see an adoption agent with Peeta today." Mom continues. I rub my eyes until I can see clearly. "Yeah, we can't afford this baby Mom, we have no financial help, I can barely keep myself and Prim alive, and we're too young." I plead my case to Mom, but I can tell she isn't happy. "Katniss, choosing adoption is an easy way to get out of it." _Out of what? I wonder. "_You made the mistake on having unprotected sex that resulted in a baby. If you choose adoption, you're not taking responsibility for your own child." She says really sternly. She gets up and leaves. _Why would she even say that? I'll be giving him a life he deserves. _

My alarm clock goes off at 4:30, I groan. I don't want to get up and being pregnant makes me tiered all the time. But survival of the fittest right? I slowly get out of bed and put on my hunting gear. I grab my watch to keep up with time. Before I leave, I make sure I pack some fruit and cheese buns Peeta gave me a few days ago.

I gently shut the door and make my way down where the fence is. Even though the fence is never running with electricity, I always listen carefully to make sure, one mistake there and it might cost me my life. There's no noise coming from the fence, I look around one last time to ensure no one sees me sneaking into the woods. I walk about 100 yards and stop at a hollow, fallen down tree where I keep my bow and arrows my dad made me.

I walk deeper and deeper into the forest, that's were the best game is, but also were the bears and mountain lions live. Around 6, I have caught six squirrels, three rabbits, a gallon of strawberries, and a a gallon of black berries. I start the long walk back to the fence. I hid my bows in the same log. Once I near the fence I listen for the electricity, but again nothing. I decide not to even get dressed, but to wear what I hunted in. It covers my bump well, but it's still there.

Like normal Peeta picks me up at 7 and drives us to school. I start to zone out some in first period, I've been up since 4:30, plus I'm pregnant, this is going to be a long day. After the bell dismisses us from first period, Glimmer and Clove come up to me. Glimmer has bleach blonde hair with blue eyes and Clove has dark brown hair and brown eyes, they're both co-captains on the varsity cheer leading team which punched their ticket to their popularity. "So I've heard you're pregnant. And choosing adoption? How irresponsible, not taking actions for your mistake." Glimmer says, I want to punch her in the face so bad and screw up her beautiful face, but decide to walk away instead.

The day goes by much slower, I think Glimmer and Clove has passed the news around that I was pregnant, because I feel like everyone is staring at me and whispers about me. I'm at my locker when Peeta comes up to me. "Come on Katniss, hurry up, we got that ultrasound today." _Crap, I forgot about that. Hopefully I can get home before Prim starts to worry again._

We arrive at the hospital and wait in the lobby, we're called back by the same lady, she has me stand on the scale. 135, she writes down my weight. She leads me to the same white room, with white walls, and white tile. "Dr. Aruelis will be with you shortly." The lady says and walks out. "Peeta, can we look through the different family binders when we get home? I don't have practice until 8 tonight." I'm curious to know what type of families there are. I don't want him to have an old mom and dad, or one too young, or ones snobby and rich, or sloppy and poor. Peeta grabs my hand and says to me again "I'll always be by you Katniss." This always makes me smile and realize you lucky I really am to have Peeta the father of my child.

"Knock, knock." Dr. Aruelis smiles and walks in, he shakes Peeta's hand. "Alright Katniss, let's have you lie down on the bed again, and pull up your shirt mid way." He says and pus the cold gel on my stomach again. "You keep getting bigger and bigger Katniss in such a short time for one baby." Maybe I am carrying twins. No I can't be, he said so. He rubs this machine on my belly trying to find the baby. "Do you want to know the gender of the baby?"Dr. Aruelis asks. Peeta and I both look at each other. "Well Katniss what do you think the gender is?"Dr. Aruelis says before telling us. "I want a boy, one that looks like Peeta." Dr. Aruelis smiles. "What about you Peeta?" Peeta smiles, "I want it to be a girl, that has Katniss' hair and eyes. I want it to look just like her. I want a girl, but we both think that it's a boy." Peeta adds.

This only makes Dr. Aruelis smile even bigger. "Well Peeta, you got what you wanted. It's a girl." I pull Peeta into a tight embrace, I smile, a daughter, maybe she can have Peeta's hair and eyes. I feel tears starting to roll down my cheeks but Peeta immanently wipes them away. "Are you two still considering adoption?" Dr. Aruelis asks, "I mean if you don't mind me asking." I look at Dr. Aruelis and back at Peeta. "We are. Our agent is Dawn, and she gave us binders to look at that have families to choose from." This makes Dr. Aruelis smile. "It takes amazing parents to realize that adoption is a good choice." He wipes the gel off my stomach and leaves.

A few hours later, Peeta and I are on the coach in my living room looking at families. "Haymitch and Effie Abernathy." I read the name out load. We read all about them, Haymitch is an owner of a real estate company and Effie is a clothing designer. They live in a stone, two story, five bed four bath house. Haymitch is 33 and Effie is 31. They both seem both very active, and are always doing stuff outdoors. I like that. Effie has blonde hair down a little past her shoulders and blue eyes, while Haymitch has buzz cut, his hair is a caramal color hair and greenish blue eyes. "Peeta, this family is perfect." He nods, "Lets look at the others too before we decide on a family."

While looking at the rest of the families binders, Peeta looks at every detail, he wants to make sure he knows all he can about the family. Another hour passes, and we finish up looking at the binders. "I really like Haymitch and Effie, Katniss, they seem to stand out." I smile and give him a peck on the lips, "I couldn't agree more." Now we just need to tell Dawn about our decision.

I told my soccer coach about my pregnancy and we both agreed I'll still be on the team, I can't play until after I give birth. I haven't told any of my teammates yet, and they're depending on me to help them through this weekend when we play a capitol team. I walk the mile to where we practice, I have running shoes on and some athletic clothes, the shirt I'm wearing is actually Peeta's, but it doesn't cover the bump anymore.

When I first arrive, I greeted by my teammates, I guess they were all shocked that I'm pregnant, they ask who's the dad? Is it a boy or a girl? How far along are you? During the practice I sit on the bench watching my team as the do conditioning, and drills without me.

I get a ride him from Sarah again, I tell her I'm having a girl, and we're choosing adoption. She says she'll be there for me if I need her, but I wonder if she'll keep her word.

Peeta and I wait in the lobby of the adoption agency with the binders on Peeta's lap, we await to be called back. "Peeta? Katniss?" Dawn calls our names and we get up, we follow her to her office and sit down where we sat last time. "Did you pick out a family?" Dawn asks. Peeta and I look at each other. "Yes." Peeta says, never breaking eye contact with me. "Well who did you chose?" Dawn asks, I answer this time, "Haymitch and Effie Abernathy." I smile at the name, I know they're going to be perfect parents for our daughter. "Awe, yes, they're very good people, a few months ago, another young couple chose them as their child's adoptive parents, but once the mom gave birth to a daughter, she completely changed her mind and kept her and raised the baby herself as a single teen mom." Dawn says. That's terrible, how could you get a couple all excited about a baby then take it away from them? "We'll I guess I'll give them a call, they'll book a train ride as soon as possible, I'll call you when they come." Dawn smiles and dismisses us. I'm happy about the family we've picked.

Peeta walks me home, and gives me a kiss goodbye and starts his way home. I walk inside and no one is home. I walk into my room and right in front of me is a crib. _How could she? It's my kid, I can do what I want with her right? _I know my mom bought this crib, hoping it will change my mind about adoption. A few days ago, she laid out an outfit for a baby girl on my bed. Why can't she respect my decision on adoption, it's whats best for Peeta and I, but also our daughter, why can't she see that?


	3. Chapter 3

May, Five months pregnant.

Peeta and I decided on Haymitch and Effie Abernathy to be our adoptive parents. Dawn says she would get in contact with them, so they can travel down here, Dawn says the live in District 1 so it might be a few days. But in the meantime, I'm trying my best not to get behind in school. I want to graduate on time so I must stay caught up. I can never concentrate that long without thinking about the baby and what she'll look like and who she'll look like.

It's hard to pay attention in class, especially if we're reading, in my English class, we're reading Romeo and Juliet, it's in Old English. But I have Gale, Annie, and Johanna to keep me entertained. I'm surprised I've never gotten in trouble for talking in that class. "Class, I need to go to the printing room, continue reading. I'll be back in about five minutes." our teacher Ms. Gates says and leaves the room. I might have friends in that class, but it's just my luck I also have that class with Glimmer. And it doesn't take long before she tries to start a conversation with me.

"Katniss, I've heard you're going to have a girl." Glimmer says, it takes no genius to know that I'm pregnant now, but how'd she find out it was a girl? Her voice is nice and calm, but I can tell she's planning something. "But it's too bad that you're not going to be taking responsibility for the mistake you made." She points to my very swollen abdomen. "What a slut." What she said didn't really bother me because I know I'm doing the right thing, but that last sentence made me want to punch her. Before I could do something I would regret, I walked out of class.

I don't know where I'm going, but my feet carry farther and farther down the deserted hallways. I run out of breath and lean against the wall, slowly slidding down it. I pull my feet to my chest as best as I can, but my bump gets in the way. I let the tears turn into sobs. I can't hold the emotions in anymore. I stay like that until I hear someone's voice, "Katniss, what's wrong?" I hear Finnick's familiar voice

"Glimmer, she called me a slut, and said I wasn't taking responsibility for my actions." I sob, Finnick puts a comforting arm around my shoulder, "Katniss, Glimmer may be the one calling you a slut, but remember she's the one who's had at least three abortions in the last year. And you're choosing adoption for your daughter because you love her and want to give her a life you could never have given her." I stop crying a little and look up to smile at Finnick. "Now with that being said, I need to get back to class. See ya Katniss." He gives me a hand up and leaves.

I walk back down the hallway towards my classroom, but I stop in the bathroom first and wipe off the tear stains on my cheek. When I walk back into class Ms. Gates and the whole class stops and stares at me. "Ms. Everdeen, where have you been? You need to stay after class and plead your story to me." I really don't care. I'm not in the mood. After the bell dismisses class I just tell Ms. Gates that I had to pee, I mean you can't stop a pregnant woman from peeing right?

Peeta got a call from Dawn, we can meet Haymitch and Effie tomorrow. But tonight, I made plans with Annie, Johanna, and Madge. We're all gathered in Annie's room. Annie is straightening my hair while Madge is doing my makeup. I'm not one to get all dressed up, but if it makes them happy, I guess I'll suffer. "Did you and Peeta use protection?" Madge asked, "I mean, if you don't mind me asking." I open my mouth to answer, but Johanna beats me to it. "Madge, take one look at Brainless' abdomen, pretty sure no protection was involved." We all laugh a bit.

We decided to go out to eat at the Cheese Cake Factory, I don't have clothes that are nice enough to eat there, so I borrow one of Annie's Mom's dresses. We were waiting to be seated, I felt like everyone was staring at the beach ball under my shirt. I here people whispering, I'm probably just being paranoid, but I can't help but feel self conscious about it. I ordered a cheeseburger, it's not very often where I can eat quality meat, Johanna offered to pay for me too. "Are you going to name her?" Annie asks, I think about it, I have a name for her, but I think it's right that Haymitch and Effie name her. "I've always liked the name Ainsley, it means my meadow, and for a middle name Gabrielle, because it means God's joy. But Peeta and I agreed that the adoptive parents can name her." I feel tears prick, I may not even be able to name my own daughter.

After dinner, Annie takes me home. I take off the remainder of my make up and go to bed. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I pass out. I don't wake up again until I feel someone shaking me. "Katniss, we need to leave soon, we have an appointment with Dawn." I open my eyes to see Peeta shaking me. He leans down and gives me a kiss.

I make an effort today to try to look nice, I leave my hair down and borrow some of my mom's makeup and one of her nicer shirts. When we arrive at the Agency, we don't have to wait in the lobby, Dawn greats us and brings us too her office. As soon as we walked into Dawn's office, Haymitch and Effie great us with strong hugs, and thank us for possibly choosing them as adoptive parents. They both seem like good parents.

Dawn sits us down across from Haymitch and Effie. "I'm going to ask a lot of questions, for all of you, just to get to know each other a little better, Katniss, why don't you tell them the gender of the baby and how far along you are." Dawn says, "Well, I'm a little over five months, and we're having a baby girl." I see Effie's smile get even bigger, if that was even possible. "So, we do know that Katniss and Peeta are choosing adoption, but tell us why you are choosing adoption rather than raising your daughter yourselves." Dawn says, "We're both only 16," Peeta starts, "we're too young, we won't have a steady job to provide for her, our families won't help us out financially. My family owns the District's bakery, Katniss and I have been dating for five years." Peeta says. "Now Katniss, explain why you want to chose adoption."

I take a deep breath, this is going to be long, "I have multiple reasons why. But I live in the Seam, where poor people live, and Peeta lives in town, he's a merchant's son, they're the upper class, when I was 11, my dad died and my mom fell into a deep depression and I started to provide for her and my sister Prim, who was 7 at the time, I'll never forget the look on her face when I came home with no food. My luck ran out and we went five days without food, on the fifth day, I walked into town and looked through trash, the last place I went was the bakery, Peeta's mom threw a broom at me and told me to never come back. I walked to a nearby tree, I was ready and wanting to die. I heard a commotion and it was Peeta's mom and Peeta, she hit Peeta in the head for burning bread and told him to feed it to the pigs. But instead he threw the bread to me, and that's how we really met, and he gave me the confidence to go out and hunt again. A few weeks later, he asked me out and we've been dating ever since. But I want her to have better than what I had, where she doesn't have to be responsible for her siblings, where she doesn't have to worry about her next meal. I want her to live where her entire family wants her, Peeta's mom won't have anything to do with her, I'm sure my mom won't keep her word about not leaving me." I feel tears stream down my face, Effie gets up from her chair and hugs me for a long time. When she pulls away, I smile at her, I want her to be the adoptive mother of my daughter.

Haymitch and Effie tell us about themselves and what they do in free time, Effie will be a stay at home mom, which is amazing, they're both more than I could ever ask for. "Haymitch, Effie. I need you two wait in the lobby, so I can talk to Katniss and Peeta." Dawn says while showing them the door.

After they left Dawn sits back down and puts her hands on her lap, "Do you like them?" She asks, Peeta and I both smile, "They're more than I could ever ask for." I say, "We'll consider it an official match, congrats." Dawn says.

Adoption is nothing like I've ever imagined, I feel a lot better now, now that I know that our daughter will be going to a safe place. And what makes it even better, they both said Peeta and I can pick out the first and middle name if we wanted, but I'm already growing attached to her, I don't know how I'll find the strength to let her go...


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you guys so much for the reviews, they mean a lot. I'm going to try to update one more time tonight, but I can't promise that. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games!**

June, Six months pregnant.

It's hard to believe I'm already into my third trimester already! Tomorrow is the last day of school, most of the people at school are getting ready to travel to District 4 to go to the beach, go to summer camps in capitol, but for Peeta and I, we're going to spend this whole summer together and try to earn some extra money.

Peeta and I sit on the coach in his room eating cookies and cheese buns, we should probably be studying for the rest of our finals tomorrow, but we're going through baby names, we want to her name is show who she is to us, after hours of looking, we decided on Ainsley Gabrielle Abernathy, Ainsley means _my meadow, _and Peeta and I' favorite place is the meadow, and Gabrielle means _God's joy. _

Peeta lifts up my shirt, "I love you Ainsley Gabrielle." I feel her kick in response, Peeta's face lights up as Ainsley kicks. Peeta's dad knocks on the door, "Peeta, can you watch Jennifer tonight?" His dad asks. Jennifer is Peeta's one year old cousin, she resembles Peeta so much with her blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, she calls me Auntie. "Yeah, I guess so." Peeta responds still having his hands on my abdomen. "Okay great, your uncle will drop her off in a hour, your mom and I will be out at dinner." Peeta's dad shuts the door and walks away.

"Katniss can you stay and help me babysit Jennifer? You know how she is." I lean in and give Peeta a kiss, "'Of coarse."

When the doorbell rings, Peeta and I both answer it, "Auntie!" Jennifer runs up and hugs me. I pick her up and balance her on my right hip. Peeta's uncle hands us some of her toys, food, diapers, and clothes. He leaves. One of Jennifer's favorite games is hid and seek and we play that first. Jennifer loves to hid under the kitchen table every time. This time, Peeta is trying to find Jennifer and I, I managed to convince her to hide with me in Peeta's closet. He opens his door, I'm sure he knows we're in here, but acts like he doesn't know for Jennifer's sake. "Where's Jennifer?" I hear Peeta ask aloud. Jennifer giggles but I hold my hand up to her mouth to quiet her. Peeta slowly opens the closet, "Got you!" Peeta shouts, "Eeta you found me." she giggles. "Where's Katniss?" Peeta asks, "Can't tell, its secret." Jennifer says and giggles. Peeta leans close to her, "If you tell me, I'll give you an extra cookie at dinner." I step out of the closet, "Peeta Mellark, are you bribing a one year old?" I scold with a smile tugging at my lips. "Eeta's been bad!" Jennifer shouts and slaps his butt as her punishment and runs out of his room probably finding some trouble.

We ordered pizza for dinner, after we ate, Peeta and I, with Jennifer in between both of us. We're watching Cinderella, I guess this is what little girls watch now a days, princess movies. When I was her age, I was in the woods with my dad, we hardly ever had the electricity to watch t.v., and when we did, it was the news.

Jennifer falls asleep and lays her head on my lap and I stroke her blonde hair while resting my head on Peeta's shoulder. I reflect back on tonight's events. Hid and seek, dinner, listening to Jennifer's laugh, watching movies, this could Peeta and I. "Peeta," I say "we can't go through with the adoption. This is us Peeta, playing games and watching movies with Ainsley." Tears pour down my face. How could I even think about giving up my own blood and flesh? Why was I even considering adoption in the first place?

Peeta looks a little stunned, "Are you sure Katniss." "Of coarse I'm sure Peeta, I can't give Ainsley up!" I pick Jennifer up and lay her on the love seat where she continues to sleep. "I'm going to call Haymitch and Effie right now to tell them." I walk out of the room and pick up the phone. I dial their number "Hello?" Effie's voice seems a little sleepy. "Effie, it's Katniss." I'm pretty sure my voice cracks several times during that sentence. "Katniss, honey is everything okay?" Her voice is filled with worry. "I can't go through with the adoption, I can't. I'm so sorry to put you both through this." I feel Peeta wrap both of his arms around me and whisper caring words into my ear. "Katniss, I see your reasonings, but at least think about, please?" Effie's voice is pleading to me. This is her only way she can raise a child, by adopting. I promise her I'll think about it and I hang up.

"Katniss, I'll always support you no matter what choice you make, but don't you think adoption is the better option?" Peeta asks, I shake my head. "I can't give Ainsley up, I can't she's my daughter, she's growing inside of me. She knows I'm her mother, my heartbeat comforts her while she's inside my womb." Peeta wraps his arms tighter around me, I cry into his chest for what seemed like hours. "Katniss," Peeta begins and starts to stroke the back of my head, "Dawn did say it takes a lot of strength to go through with the adoption. Think about it tonight when you go to sleep." I pull out of Peeta's arms, "I have to go, I need to get home." I slip out the door and start the long and lonely walk towards the Seam.

I open the door to my house, My mom is probably still at work, she won't get home until around nine or ten, I see Prim sitting at the kitchen table, I'm assuming doing homework. I walk up to her, "Prim," she ignores me, "Primrose," my voice starting to fill with some concern, "Katniss, we haven't had a conversation together in months, did you forget what you promised me tonight?" I search for thoughts, what did I promise her? I shake my head, making me feel terrible, "You promised me we would see a movie tonight, but you forgot, because all you do is hang out with Peeta, go to your appointments, but never make any time for me. I miss how things used to be before you got pregnant, you haven't even told me what you're going to name her!" Prim is practically shouting now. I'm not sure on what to do now, but I pull her as close as I can to me this is what Peeta always does to me and calms me down.

I promised Prim to go to the movies, but we make dinner together instead. I tell her all about Ainsley, how we got to chose her name, and how I might not go through with the adoption now after babysitting his cousin for a while. Prim listens to everything I say. Prim offers to wash the dishes and clean up. I walk up the stairs to my room, I see a rocking chair, a chair I'm going to rock the baby in. Like I promised Effie, I thought about and I still want to keep her, I'll call her after school gets out tomorrow and tell her my choice. I strip off my current clothes and and put on pajamas and go to bed.

I set my alarm for 6:30 and go to bed. I hear the alarm clock go off, I roll onto my other side, I can't sleep that much anymore, I can never get comfortable enough or Ainsley keeps me up from moving around too much.

I get dressed in a maternity shirt that Peeta bought me and some shorts. I leave my hair down today, not because I'm trying to impress anyone, but for once, I want too. I walk down the stairs and grab some breakfast, right when I sit down I hear Peeta knock on my door. I walk outside with him into his car and we drive to school. "Did you think about the adoption?" Peeta asks while still facing the road. I take a deep breath, _I'll support you no matter what Katniss. _I recall him saying that last night, "Yes," I respond, "we're keeping her, I'm going to call Haymitch and Effie today after school." I say. Peeta doesn't respond and the rest of our car ride to school is silent.

I have my chemistry honors exam, I can't concentrate at all, all I can think about is Effie and how disappointed and sad her voice sounded. I already had an A in this class and decided to christmas tree the whole thing. I turn the test in as the first one to finish, I lie my head down on my desk, and I make a mental list, the pros and cons would be on this adoption.

Pros

-better life

- we'll be giving someone who can't have a baby a baby

- I'll be able to keep my scholarship and play soccer

- Graduate on time

Cons

- Raise a baby with the love of my life

- become a parent

- teach her everything

- have a mini me and Peeta around

- having the mother/daughter relationship

I replay this list over and over in my head. I still want to keep her, but the more I go over pros on adoption, the more I realize that adoption is the best choice. The final bell rings dismissing us from our last class, and summer just now started, I'm now officially a junior. I walk towards my locker, to grab the rest of my books and bring them home for the summer. Like normal Peeta meets me by my locker. "Hey," Peeta says, and kisses my temple, "how was your exam?" I smile "It was great. Peeta, I've been thinking about the adoption. I went over the pros and cons," I start, making eye contact with him, "and the decision I made, is the final decision, and no matter what, we're going to go through with this. I want to go through with the adoption." I force a smile to show Peeta I'm happy about the decision. He pulls me in for a passionate kiss, we stay like this for minutes until Peeta pulls away. "Well I say lets go call Haymitch and Effie and tell them the news."

Peeta and I intertwine our hands and down the hallway and into the school parking lot where his car is. Since it is the last day of school, Peeta took me out for ice cream, he us both orderd one bowl of cookie doe ice cream. Peeta dials Haymitch's and Effie's phone number, "Hello? Peeta? Katniss?" Effie says into the phone, "Hey Effie." Peeta and I both talk into the microphone. "Hi, let me put you two on speaker, Haymitch is right here next to me. What's up?"

I hesitate a little before I begin to talk, "Like I promised, I went over the adoption last night, I wanted to keep her." I hear Effie sigh into the phone, "but in class today, after my exam, I made a mental list, the pros and cons of the adoption, although they're are more cons than pros, I want to go through with the adoption." I smile, I'm sure this just made Effie's day. "That's wonderful news Katniss, thank you and Peeta so very much." I smile, "Katniss, I have to go, we have company coming over, but thank you so much again, love you." Effie states. "Love you too, bye." I says and hang up the phone.

Peeta smiles at me, "What?" I ask, "How did I get so lucky to have a girlfriend as strong as you?" Peeta asks, I can tell by his eyes he means this with all of his heart. I give him a kiss in return. "I love you Peeta." I say, "I love you too Katniss."


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the long wait, I was on spring break and went to my grandparents, who do not have any wifi, how do they live? lol. I hope you enjoy this. Sorry I'm not responding to the reviews personally, I'm really busy sometimes, but I do read all of them. I didn't proof read this either, so I'm really sorry for any mistakes I made. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games!**

July, seven months pregnant

It gets harder and harder every day to move around, in the middle of June, Haymitch and Effie invited us to their home in District 1, to help us feel better about where Ainsley is going to be living. They showed us the nursery for Ainsley, it has a faded pink walls, it's almost ombre like, on the wall there are letters that spell out her name, the furniture matches the crib, the bedding is perfect, the whole thing is perfect. What Haymitch and Effie are able to give her, is 100 times more than what Peeta and I could ever hope to give her. I do still have to remind myself that we're going through this whole adoption thing because we love Ainsley, and would do anything for her. And when she's older, I hope she'll understand why her dad and I knew adoption was the best for her...and not just us.

Peeta found a summer job, he works at the movie theater part time now. He has to work tonight, my mom is working an extra shift, and Prim is spending the night at Posy's house, that's Gale's sister. This is the first time I'll be home alone in a long time. It makes me a little nervous because of how far along I am. Peeta left his cell phone with me, in case of emergency.

I start off the night watching movies on my laptop, I made sure it was charged so I could enjoy this time to myself. Around 8, I start to feel cramps, nothing strong or anything, but cramps that just feel like my period, they come back every eight minutes or so. I ignore it for about a hour. Suddenly one hits me, it almost feels like someone just stabbed me with a knife. Five minutes later it comes again, but this time the pain is worse. I dial 911, I have no idea what Peeta's work phone number is. _W_ill Ainsley die? _What would I tell Haymitch and Effie? No, I cant think like this, try and find something positive.__  
_

"911, what is you emergency?" The operator asks me in a calm voice, "I'm 16 and seven months pregnant, and I'm having contractions." Another contraction hits and I scream, "I'm home alone, and it hurts really bad." by this time I'm sobbing, "Ma'am, I need you remain calm, I have an ambulance on it's way right now, did your water break?" "No." I respond, "Ok, thats good, you need to remain calm, you're going to feel the urge to push, but you can't because your baby is too young to be born right now. Try to find somewhere comfortable and lay down on it." I follow the operator's instructions, but I need to push. "Ma'am," the operators starts back up, "the ambulance is right outside your house." The line goes dead.

I hear the people come up the steps, the emergency workers open my doors, "Ma'am," one of them says, he says something else, but I'm starting to zone out, I think I might faint. Without really knowingly, I put one of my arms around each of them and we walk down the stairs, they load me on a stretcher in the ambulance. The whole way to the hospital they ask me questions about where are my parents, who can they contact to alert them I'm at the hospital, I have them call the bakery and get in touch with Mr. Mellark to tell Peeta. I don't really remember much, I know they hooked me up to a needle pumping tocolytics into my body to stop my contractions.

Everything goes black right as someone was walking in the door, it looked like Peeta. His face was filled with worry, I can only imagine how worried he'll be now.

When I wake up, I'm assuming the next morning, Peeta is holding my hand, my mom isn't there, but Prim is in the room with Peeta and so to is Dawn. "What happend?" I ask, not recalling too much. "You had a false labor," Peeta explains, "you called 911, and they brought you here. I was so worried about you Katniss." Peeta says and kisses my forehead. "I almost lost you and Ainsley." His eyes get teary. "Don't worry Peeta, we're here now and we're not going anywhere." I smile and wipe a stray tear. I keep my eyes locked onto his eyes.

"Prim, where's mom? I haven't seen her in a while." "She's working, she's been working the past few night shifts." I nod, she promised me that she wouldn't abandon Prim or me again, but look what she's doing now becoming a work-a-holic trying to pass some time, but she could pass time by spending it with Prim or maybe even me.

Dr. Aruelis keeps me over night, but he does an ultra sound first. Another doctor said that Ainsley is fine, but part of me is still really nervous, Peeta notices this and grabs a hold of my hand. Dawn contacted Haymitch and Effie too, just to tell them what happened. I could almost see the worry on both of their faces as Dawn told them the news. I wonder how they feel right now?

We do the same routine, he puts the gel on my abdomen, "Now, if you look on the screen you can see her face." Dr. Aruelis points at the screen, "Aw, Katniss she looks just like you." Peeta says in awe, he's right, Ainsley has my face structure, my nose and chin. I wonder if she'll have my hair color or Peeta's. I hope Ainsley does have some of Peeta's traits, I would hate if she had my personality, I'm stubborn, short tempered, mean, and almost every other bad quality there is.

"Katniss, as you get closer and closer to your due date, which is September 28, we want to start seeing you weekly, but to make sure the adoptive parents are here for the birth, I can safely induce you September 20." I nod my head, only two short months before meeting our daughter. "Do you have an idea on who you want in the delivery room with you?" Dr. Areulis asks. truth be told, I haven't. "I haven't really thought about it, but I want Peeta, my mom, Peeta's mom but I know she won't care enough to show up," I glance over at Peeta, "no offense, maybe my sister, but I kind of don't want Haymitch and Effie in there with me." I explain my reasoning and Dr. Aruelis just nods.

Weeks start to pass, the appointments with Dr. Aruelis are weekly now and Peeta make sure he is there at every single one, Mr. Mellark, Rye, Will, my mom, and Prim even showed up at some. I know Peeta's mom doesn't like me, but I do know I want her to meet Ainsley before she goes to District 1, this might be her only granddaughter she'll ever have. I walk down the road from the Seam to Town. I open the door to the bakery, Peeta is working today, but I want to talk to his mom. Mrs. Mellark is working the counter as I walk in. "Peeta's not here. He's at work actually doing something with his life, unlike you." she snaps. It takes everything in me not to go off on her, I take a deep breath, "I wasn't for Peeta, I actually want to talk to you." I say, my voice sounding more confident than I actually am. "Now why would I want to talk to you?" She quickly replies, "Ever since Peeta and I started dating, you never liked me or even took time to get to know me. You owe me five minutes." I reply. "You have five minutes to convince me to give you a chance." She glares me down as I walk close to the counter.

We find ourselves upstairs in the living room, we both sit on opposite sides of one couch, I guess this is a good sign. "I starting my watch right now, five minutes, no more." she says. I take a deep breath, "I want you in the delivery room for when I give birth." I let out, I know in a million years she never expected me to tell her this. "Why would I want to see my grandchild when it's mother is from the Seam?" This is a little harsh, and the words sting, but I know if I want a decent relationship with her, I need to do this. "Because this could be the only granddaughter you'll have and you'll miss the birth because of the mother?" I say. It takes her a while to reply to what I said, "I'm not promising I'll show up, but I'll consider it." I smile and give her a hug, she doesn't hug me back, but just the fact that she said she'll think about showing up for the birth means the world to me.

I walk back to my house, I've started to need naps a few times a day to even get me through the day. I open the front door with the key we keep under a place mat by our front door. As I expected, no one is home. I walk up the stairs to find another outfit for a baby girl, right next to it is a book my mom would read to Prim and I before we would go to bed when we we're younger. This has gotten out of control, where is she getting all of this money to buy all these baby supplies? I take them off my bed and put them in the pile of all the other baby supplies she's gotten me over the past seven months.

I feel someone shaking my shoulders telling me I need to wake up. I shake the hands off my shoulders and turn over to my other side. "Katniss, come on. We have dinner reservations tonight." It's Peeta, I flutter my eyes open and he's there to kiss me. "Hey." I say "I love you Peeta." "I love you too Katniss, but we have dinner reservations for tonight, we need to leave in thirty minutes." Peeta tells me. I get up out of bed, I make an effort to look half way decent, I apply a little eye liner and foundation. I can't decide if I should leave my hair up or down, but I know Peeta loves my hair down, and he is paying for dinner tonight.

I walk down stairs, I hear Prim and Peeta talking to one another, I stop in my footsteps, just wondering what they're saying. "Peeta, are you going to propose to her? I mean, you are going to be parents soon." Prim asks out of curiosity I want to make myself visible right now and scold Prim for saying something like that, I don't know what stops me, but my feet won't move, "I ask her when we're ready, I don't want to have a baby and feel like we have to be engaged because of a baby." I hear Peeta reply, this makes me smile. Before Prim can say something else, I make myself visible.

Peeta meets me half way and gives me a kiss on my cheek. We walk down the road into a diner, nothing crappy but nothing fancy. The waiter seats us, we both order water. I look around there are fake fish every where along the walls with netting, I guess it's crab or fishing netting, but it's neat. I've been craving steak for the longest time, but since I haven't been hunting that much recently, quality meat like steak has gone out of reach of what we can afford. Peeta keeps staring at me, I look down at my food, it's starting to make me feel a little uncomfortable. Peeta finally breaks the silence between us, "Katniss, I love you." he says, Peeta tells me he loves me often, but this one is just sort of random, he is up to something.

Peeta gets up out of his chair and gets down on one knee, everyone in the restaurant is staring at us, I can feel my cheeks turn a bright red. "Katniss, I've loved you since I laid my eyes on you when we were five years old, and when we were 11, we started to date, we've been through so much together, a lot of tall hurdles," I know he's talking about Ainsley, "but we'll get through it, we always do. You're smart, strong, talented in anything you do, athletic, beautiful, and have one of the most caring hearts. And you're carrying my child, which makes me love you even more, if that's possible. Katniss Everdeen, will you marry me?" Peeta asks, I'm frozen, I never wanted to get married or even have a kid, but I tell Peeta 'yes' and pull him in for a passionate kiss. He slides a rind on my finger, it's pearl. He knows I prefer pearls over diamonds.

We resume our dinner. Peeta orders us a slice of cheesecake for dessert, "Peeta, I um talked to your mom earlier today." I say, Peeta looks up at me, his eyes telling me to go one. "And I asked her about being in the delivery room with me. She said she'll think about it." Peeta smiles, "Katniss, that's amazing, is your mom going to be in there too?" he asks, "Probably not, she's already told me she won't sign off on the adoption papers either." "Well my dad can." Peeta says trying to make me feel a little bit better. "Peeta, can we not tell our families about the marriage for a while? Like I want to do the toasting soon, but I don't want to tell anyone just yet." "Sure whatever you want."

Peeta walks me home, but reminds me we have an appointment with Dawn at 10, tomorrow morning. 10 o'clock comes before I know it and Peeta and I are in the lobby waiting to be called back into her office. I twiddle my thumbs waiting for Dawn to come. She finally calls us back and leads us to her office like all of the previous times before.

Dawns sits us down, "Have you decided what you want to do when Ainsley is born? Do you want to hold her? Do you not want to see her?" I really don't want to see Ainsley because I don't want to get attached to her, then all of the sudden hand her off to another set of parents that she'll call mommy and daddy. "I want Haymitch and Effie to hold her first." I don't know why, but Dawn is taking notes, she asks me why I want Haymitch and Effie to hold her first, really so I don't get attached, but I have to hold her.

"Do you know who will be in the delivery room with you, Katniss?" Dawn asks us, "Peeta, possibly his mom, his dad, and I want my mom to be in there too, but I don't know if she'll show up." I say, my voice softens, I want to cry, why won't my mother support me? Dawn continues to take her notes, I don't ask why she takes them, but I'm sure she has a good reasoning, I also explain to her that I don't want Haymitch and Effie in the delivery room when I give birth.

Like normal, Peeta walks me home, and leaves.

Summer rolls on, and in two weeks, school starts, by the time it starts, I'll be a little over 8 months pregnant, I wonder if everyone will stare at my ever expanding belly. Peeta's mom came to a decision, she'll be in the delivery room with me, the news makes me get teary eyed a little bit. I still don't know if my mom will be there for me in the delivery room, but I guess we'll find out when it's time to give birth.

Peeta and I spend the remainder of our summer spending time with Haymitch and Effie. They even took us to the beach in District 4, and they paid for all of our travel expenses. Effie and I often go to movies, the more and more time I spend with her, the more I know that we did chose the correct parents to adopt our daughter.

Since Peeta and I chose an open adoption, we can have contact with Ainsley, we decided we would meet three times a year, plus special occasions, like weddings, anniversaries and her birthdays. I know Peeta and I will always send her gifts. Peeta and I had our toasting, we only told Dawn about our marriage because we feel like this is something she should know. We have another ultrasound with Dr. Aruelis today, this time, he has me change into a dress, that's almost like a night gown. He has me pull it up, like I would with my shirt, he puts a towel to cover me. "Everything looks really good Katniss." Dr. Aruelis says, I always find this as a relief when he says this. "I'm going to feel if you have dilated at all, because this is your first pregnancy, sometimes you might dilate earlier." he explains to me. I see Peeta watch him like hawk, what Dr. Aruelis is really uncomfortable, "Nope, Katniss, you are not dilated at all, but that is normal too." He smiles as us then dismisses us.

Peeta and I have been talking recently and both agreed that Haymitch and Effie can hold Ainsley first, we are going to hold her for a few minutes but we're not going to kiss her at all. As I get closer and closer to my due date, I get nervous and more nervous every day, not just about the adoption, but giving birth.

**Please review! (:**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for all the reviews guys (: **

August, 8 months pregnant

School resumes today, when my alarm goes off at 6:30, I groan and force myself u p. I grab a shirt at random, no point of trying to cover my bump anymore, its impossible, I'm sure the whole school knows I'm pregnant. I just wonder how my teachers will treat me, having a pregnant 16 year old junior in their class.

Like last year, Peeta picks me up and we drive to school. "How'd you sleep?" Peeta asks starting up a conversation. "I couldn't sleep at all, I can't get comfortable." I complain to Peeta, I see a smile tug at his face, "That's not funny." I snap, "You try having this baby in side you, having you're ankles swell up, gaining 30 pounds, and not being able to sleep." I feel bad for snapping at Peeta like that, we don't talk until we arrive at school, I have third and seventh period with him, which is Panem history and ceramics. He gives me a quick kiss and w e go our separate ways.

I have calculus first, I'm the last one to walk in, and I can feel all the eyes in the room stare at me and my bump, "So that's the pregnant one?" Someone says, "Yeah, I heard she's putting the baby u p for adoption, how irresponsible." Another says, I take the only available seat in front of the class. I can barely fit in between the desk and chair, and I know soon I won't be able to fit at all .

"Hello class. My name is Mr. Anderson, and I'm going to be your calculus teacher for the next year. I give out no bathroom passes, no exceptions." Mr. Anderson continues on with his long list of rules , _this is going to be a long year _I think to myself. I just hope I don't have to go to the bathroom at all while I'm pregnant. Mr. Anderson assigns us a worksheet to do with a partner, no one will talk to me, it's almost like they 're afraid to catch my pregnancy.

The bell rings dismissing us from class, everyone rushes to the door, "Hold on Katniss." Mr. Anderson says, I sigh and walk over to Mr. Anderson's desk, he has pictures of his wife and four kids, three boys and one girl. "Please, take a seat," he says and points to a metal chair, sort of like the ones we sit in, but this one isn't connected to a desk.

"Katniss, how far along are you in your pregnancy?" I don't know if I should answer this, but for whatever reason I do, "8 months, I'm probably going to be induced on September 20." Mr. Anderson nods his head. "If the rumors are true, you're choosing adoption for your daughter ?" I'm confused, how'd he know I'm having a girl? "How'd you know I'm having a girl ?" I ask, "Katniss, every other conversation I've heard has been about you. " I know most of the conversations are bad. " I am choosing adoption. It's best for her. Her dad and I both agreed we were not ready to be parents and we both want to graduate from high school too." I added . His second period class starts coming in, they all stare at me, like first period did. "I'm going to let you go now," he says while he's writing me a pass, "but just so you know, she'll t hank you later on for doing this for he r." That makes me smile knowing an adult supports my choice, he hands me the pass and I try to ignore his whole class s taring at me.

One of the benefits of being pregnant, I can use the school's elevators instead of walking up the two flights of stairs. I walk inside second period, physics, the whole class stares at me. I glance over to the back corner and notice Johanna is in this class. I take the only empty seat once again in the front row. Mrs . Emerson, my teacher, hands out a test just testing our knowledge, but I can't concentrate at all. Mrs. Emerson keeps giving me dirty looks through her glasses, I know she probably thinks I'm a slut. I really don't care anymore what any one thinks, I just hate hearing people whisper about me...By the time she collects the test, I only made it up to question 10 , knowing my luck, this grade will be based on accuracy. Great way to start off junior year.

Mrs. Emerson goes on about a lecture after she collects the test, to be honest, I don't know what she was talking about. It felt like hours before t e bell finally rang, we have a ten minute break in between second and third period, where we can go to our lockers or do whatever. I walk, well wobble, to my locker. People stare and once I look at them, they quickly look away. I trade my books and binders for other books and binders I need for my next classes . I notice a note sticking out, I open it, I can 't recognize the handwriting but it's really neat.

_Don't let the comments get to you :) _

I smile at that, whoever gave this to me , has just made my day. I stuff the note into my pocket and begin to walk to my next class. By the time I get there, the minute bell has gone off, saying we only have one more minute to get to class until we're tardy. Peeta is already sitting down, and motions for me to seat that's sitting next to him. No matter how many times I might be mad at Peeta, his smile always makes me forgive him immanently.

I sit next to Peeta. Peeta chuckles when he sees I can barely fit into my desk. I shot him the death stare and that shut him up. "So how has your first day gone so far?" Peeta asks me before the teacher decides to start class. "Everyone is staring at me, calling me a slut, irresponsible, whispering about me. So, I'd say great. How has yours been?" I ask Peeta glaring up at him. Peeta opens his mouth to answer, "Good morning class, I'm Mrs. Banks, and I'm you're history teacher for the remainder part of your junior year." Mrs. Banks says before Peeta can respond.

I'm really like history, so I'll know this class will be easy. Mrs. Banks goes on a lecture about the start of how the country before Panem, America, folded and forced us to start a new country. But no matter how hard I try to concentrate, I can't. I constantly shift in my desk trying to find a more comfortable position, but no luck each time. The class goes by just as slow as the other two. The bell rings dismissing us. It takes me longer to get my stuff and head to my next class, Peeta waits for me and we walk out of the class hand in hand. I can feel Mrs. Banks stare at Peeta and I, but I don't care because Peeta is there.

The rest of the day is non eventful, just more stares from students and teachers. Johanna isn't talking to me. I don't know why, is it because I'm farther along in my pregnancy? Whatever the case is, I'm not letting it bother me. Before I know it, its already the third week of school, I'm about to enter my ninth month, Peeta and I are getting ready for our appointment with Dr. Aruelis.

Dr. Aruelis walks in, he gives us the smile he always welcoming us. "Peeta." Dr. Aruelis shakes Peeta's hand, "Well Katniss, shall we look and see how Ainsley is doing?" he ask, I nod my head. I wonder how she's doing in there. I pull up my shirt above my bump and Dr. Aruelis puts the gel on me. He moves the stick around trying to find her head. "It looks good, she's already starting to move to the birthing canal. Has she been moving a lot?" he asks still looking at the screen. "Nonstop." I laugh while I answer, nothing much calms her when she moves. Dr. Aruelis asks us a few questions about Ainsley and the adoption. I'm starting to feel more and more attached to Ainsley every day, and seeing her on the monitor and feeling her move around inside of me, makes me grow to her even more. Dr. Aruelis wipes the gel off my stomach and helps me sit up.

"We both agreed on inducing you in mid-September, but she's starting to run out of room in your womb, I think I might want to induce on Thursday of next week." Dr. Areulis says. I look at Peeta, and Peeta looks at me. Smiles fill both of our faces. In only eight days, we'll be able to meet Ainsley, but in eight days, Ainsley will be in Haymitch's and Effie's custody...

Peeta and I lock hands, we made an emergency appointment with Dawn to tell her the news. Dawn greats us in the lobby and brings us back into her office, all three of us takes our seat. "So, what made you guys want an emergency appointment?" Dawn asks, I think she has an idea what we're going to tell her. I look at Peeta, and he nods, I think he wants me to tell Dawn the news. "I'm being induced next Thursday!" I practically scream with excitement. Dawn is also all smiles, "Congratulations!" she says and gets up to hug both of us, "Have you called Hamitch and Effie and told them the news?" she asks, "No," Peeta says, "you're the first person we have told." He grabs my hand and squeezes it. Dawn wanted to hear Haymitch's and Effie's response when they would hear the news. We dial their number from Peeta's phone, it takes them a few seconds to pick up.

"Hello?" Effie says, Peeta and I both smile together, "Effie," I start, "it's Katniss, Peeta, and Dawn." Before I could say anything about being induced she interupts me, "You guys are on speaker now. Do you have something to tell us?" I can barely contain the excitement in my voice. "Yes. I'm being induced next Thursday!" It took Effie and Haymitch a minute or two to respond, I think that they're just letting the news sink in. "That's wonderful, we'll both find the first train to District 12 to make sure were there. I have a meeting to go to, but I'll call you later. Love you guys." "We love you too." Peeta and I both say. Dawn once again congratulates us when we're leaving.

We tell Peeta's family first, Mrs. Mellark acted normal, but I could tell she was happy inside. Peeta and I decided that if Peeta's mom showed up for the birth, she could be in the delivery room with us, while his dad and brothers would be in the waiting room with Haymitch and Effie. Prim would also be in waiting room, if my mom came to the birth, she'd be in the delivery room.

After we leave the bakery, we make our way down the road to the Seam, dinner is on the table, Peeta stays and helps me tell them. Prim is ecstatic but my mom stays silent the whole time. Peeta excuses himself and I know my mom is making him uncomfortable, I excuse myself too soon after Peeta leaves. I walk upstairs into my bedroom and start my homework, I don't plan on missing too much school after Ainsley is born, just maybe a day or two. I try to concentrate on my physics homework, it's no use because all I can think about is Ainsley.

Haymitch and Effie arrived in town the first train here, just like they promised. I can tell that Ainsley will love them as their birth parents. We decided if possible they would come to our high school graduation and other important events. We discussed when we would meet face to face, they would email us pictures often. letters often. They take us to the movies and out to dinner often, but tonight is different, Haymitch and Peeta went somewhere to 'bond'. Effie took me out to dinner to discuss what I expect from them as parents. I told her I just want Ainsley to be happy, in an environment where she is loved, and so on. The more I talk about this, the wetter my eyes get, and before I know it, tears are streaming down my face. I tell her how attached I am to her. Effie just hugs me and doesn't say a word, I'm sure she doesn't know what to say.

I'm getting more and more nervous about the birth, I keep growing and feeling Ainsley move, Dr. Aruelis says she's just moving into a birth-able position. I grow more attached to her every day, I don't know what I'm going to do when it's time to let her go...


	7. Chapter 7

**_This _****is going to be the last chapter of the story, I'll do a few chapters of an epilogue though. Sorry if I get any medical terms wrong, I'm not a doctor.** Lol.** Thanks for following, Favorited, and reviewing this fan fiction :)**

September, 9 months pregnant.

The weekend comes and goes. Haymitch and Effie find a place to stay until Ainsley is born. I'm being induced tomorrow, and I'm still going to school today. Like normal, Peeta picks me up early for school. It's harder and harder getting up this early for school, I can't sleep or get comfortable at night anymore. Peeta tries to hide his excitement about meeting Ainsley tomorrow, but I can tell he's excited. It's too hard for me to even imagine for me to give birth tomorrow, and then go home without her. I've carried her for nine months, even though I tried not to get attached to her, you can't help it because I feel her move around and my heart beat comforts her when she's inside of my womb. I was feeling down about the adoption, so Dawn recommended me to talk to a mother who went through the same thing I did. Talking to someone who went through an adoption made me feel a lot better, she said I'm still going to always miss her, but I'll always know it was the best thing to do.

I knew I wouldn't be able to fit into my desk that much longer, and I was right. Since Monday I've been using an exercise ball to sit on instead of a chair. It's more comfortable anyway. It's hard to talk to anyone anymore, especially Peeta because every time I see him, I just think about Ainsley. I never knew going through adoption would be this hard. I hope one day that we can raise a baby together, but that wouldn't be fair to Ainsley, if we raised another baby, but not her...

The teachers try their best to understand what I'm going through, they excuse me from not turning in my work, but I just feel so alone. It doesn't help that the whispering and rumors gets even worse. And now they also start pointing as well. I ignore it, but I still notice it. It's hard hearing people laugh about you. They don't know what I'm going through right now. I came close to my teacher, Mrs. Banks, and she tries to help me, but it doesn't. The school day ends and Peeta meets me at my locker. I keep all the ultrasound pictures of Ainsley in my locker, I guess Peeta caught me staring at them, "I'm going to miss her too." He says in a soothing voice, "I've just grown so close to her, feeling her move around, and the pictures, naming her. And, I just feel so alone." I choke out, he hugs me while I cry my eyes out in his chest. Everyone is staring, but I don't care as much when Peeta is around.

We haven't really talked about marriage since Peeta has proposed, we're still engaged, but it's too much to worry about with Ainsley. Peeta took me out to dinner tonight to celebrate Ainsley's birth. I don't feel into it. Peeta talks about happy times in his life, how he feel in love with me, and other funny stories. To be nice I would laugh along with Peeta, I told him some happy stories too, but I wasn't in to it.

That night, Mr. Mellark invited me to spend the night since we leave for the hospital at six a.m. And to my surprise, it was actually Mrs. Mellark's idea. Peeta and I take my shower, all I did was think about Ainsley, and would she forgive us for putting her up for adoption? Or would she understand why we chose not to raise her ourselves? I don't know how long I was in the shower because Peeta knocked on the bathroom door and asked me if I was done soon. I take a step out of the shower, I glance at myself in the mirror, I turn to the side and noticed how big I was, "I love you, and I hope you understand why we chose this life for you, you may not understand why, but I hope you will when you're older." I whisper to Ainsley, Dr. Areulis said that babies can start to hear sound in the third trimester. I dry off and braid my hair in it's traditional braid and dress myself in some of Peeta's pajamas.

As soon as I open the bathroom door, Peeta is there to greet me. "Hey, I was wondering what took so long!" Peeta says as he sits on his bed. "I was just thinking." I say plainly, "About?" Peeta gets out off of his bed, "Just tomorrow, Ainsley, and how I'm going to feel." I say, I'm surprised I didn't let any tears fall. I was fighting to hold them back. "I wrote her a letter," Peeta says, "I want her to know where she came from. And maybe know a little about her birth parents" I smile at him. He walks over to his desk where I'm assuming he was writing the letter. He read it aloud:

_"Dear Ainsley Gabrielle,_

_Don't ever think we chose adoption because we didn't want to. Your mom and I grew up in two different worlds, I grew up in the richer part of town, and your mom grew up in the poorer part of District 12, our families never got along that well. The type of dad I would be if I raised now, would be no where near of what you deserve. Your mom is an amazing athlete, I think she'll even go pro in soccer some day. She's very beautiful too, olive skin, grey eyes, and wavy brown hair. From the ultrasound pictures, you look just like her. She's perfect, you may never understand why we chose this adoption for you, but we know your adoptive parents, Haymitch and Effie, will love you unconditionally your whole life. Maybe one day you could come and visit us for the summer. We haven't told anyone, but we're engaged as well. I hope you never chose to fall pregnant at 16 because it's the hardest thing to go through. People will laugh and whisper about you, there is an upside to it, we found out who our true friends are. _

_You may never know your grandparents or aunts and uncles, but I have a mom and dad and two older brothers Will and Rye. We own the bakery. Your mom's dad died when she was 11, she has a mom and a younger sister Prim. Once again, we love you with all of our heart, there is no stronger bond between a father and his daughter and I hope we can have that strong bond as well some day. _

_ With all my love, Peeta Mellark."_

"Peeta, that's amazing." I say and hug him. I'm going to write her one too, but I don't want Peeta to know about it. Peeta decides to get in the shower and get ready for bed. I sit down at the desk and began writing the letter to Ainsley.

_Dear Ainsley Gabrielle,_

_I'm writing this letter the night before I'm being induced to have you. Your dad is taking a shower right now, I'm not good with words like your dad is, so I'll try my best here. I want you to know, over the past nine months, I began to love you more and more each day. I hope you understand how lucky you are to have two sets of parents who love you very much. You moved around a lot inside of me, at first it was scary, but I soon enjoyed the movements. Haymitch and Effie are amazing people, and I'm sure you'll love them. They were the best set of parents we looked at, and of coarse you deserve the very best. We wanted you to have, what Peeta and I both never had, two parents who love them more than anything.I love you so much and I hope you never ever forget it, we chose this adoption not because we didn't love you, but because we loved you and we wanted you to be able to live your dreams. Your Aunt Prim, (my sister) is very excited that you're own your way. _

_I guess another factor that helped with us choosing the adoption was that since my dad died, my mom fell into a depression, and I had to start to provide for my sister Prim. I could barely keep Prim, my mom, and me alive and I knew there was no way I could keep a baby alive too. Even with Peeta's help. We couldn't afford to move in together either. _

_When I first found out I was pregnant with you, I was scared, nervous, happy, and sad. I was scared because I was only 16 and I had a scholarship locked up. Nervous because I didn't want kids, or get married. And happy because, I'm going to have a beautiful baby with the man I love with all my heart. And sad because I was no mother. I'm short tempered and stubborn. This past nine months have been some of the best nine months of my whole life. The more I felt you move inside of me, the more and more I began to love you. I love you with all my heart and I hope you don't ever let someone tell you otherwise. Your adoptive parents let us pick out your name. We chose the name Ainsley because it meant my meadow, and the meadow is one of your father and I's favorite place and Gabrielle because it means God's Joy, and you're our joy. I love you so much and I hope you never forget it. _

_ Lots of love,_ your mom, Katniss_ Everdeen_

I didn't want Peeta to read this letter, so I put mine and his in an envelope sealed it shut. I put it in a the pocket of the bag for the hospital. I wobble over to Peeta's bed and make myself comfortable, it takes several pillows and in different locations to finally get comfortable enough to sleep. When Peeta comes out of the shower, I pretend to be asleep. I feel him get on the bed and talk Ainsley, "Your mom and I love you very much, and we'll meet you tomorrow along with your adoptive parents Haymitch and Effie." I can't help but smile, he really would make a great dad, even at this age. I open my eyes and look at Peeta. He blushes at embarrassment, "I heard you talking to her." I say teasingly. "Yeah, I'm going to miss her." He says, "Me too." He leans over to give me a kiss good night.

Early the next morning, I think around five, the alarm goes off, we have to be there by six. I get dressed in a plain shirt and some running shorts. On the way out I grab the bag that was for the hospital in case I have to stay longer than we had planned. I know I won't go to school tomorrow, but I'll start back on Monday for sure.

On the car ride there, I'm surprised that all of Peeta's family is coming to the hospital, even his mom. Mr. Mellark checks us in, I'm sat on a wheel chair and wheeled up to the labor and delivery part of the hospital, Haymitch and Effie we're already there, greeted by Mr. Mellark, Will, and Rye who will be staying in the waiting room with them. Once in the room where I'll give birth, I'm given a gown to change into. I sit down on the hospital bed and hooked up to a needle that will help start my labor.

Peeta holds my hand throughout the entire time. Finally after three hours, Dr. Areulis comes in and breaks my water. Thirty minutes later, the contractions are becoming unbearable. Dr. Aruelis says I'm only two centimeters dilated, and I have to be at at least five before I can get an epidural. I'm screaming in pain, the contractions are becoming too much to deal with. I roll over on my side into the fetal position and sob I wish the pain will just go away. "How dilated is she?" I hear a familiar voice ask, and that voice only belongs to my mom! She came! She actually came to the birth. "She's only at two, and she's screaming and crying like crazy. I wish I could take it away from her some how." Peeta says. I notice my mom take a seat next to Mrs. Mellark on the couch, and they're actually having a conversation together, in a million years I would have never thought Mrs. Mellark would be here in the delivery room, and I never thought my mom would be here for delivery for Ainsley, or sitting next to Mrs. Mellark and having a conversation with her! I think they're talking something about Ainsley and the adoption. I hear Mrs. Mellark say that Haymitch and Effie are good people.

I've been in labor for ten hours now, and I'm only 4 centimeters dilated, Dr. Aruelis thinks I have back labor and it causes me to dilate slower than an average person. I don't know what I would do without Peeta here right now. I'm cursing him, but he still holds my hand and says soothing words to me. Finally at twelve hours in labor, I'm dilated enough to get an epidural to ease the pain. A drug doctor comes in, and he tells me to sign a paper. "Peeta sign it for me." I demand while I'm still in tears. "Katniss, you have to sign it yourself." He says while rubbing my forehead, I sign it really quick and get back into lying in the fetal position. The drug doctor instructs me to sit up so he can sterilize my back. He also warns me that this will be painful, but worth it when I can't feel the pain. He's right, I screamed when he stuck that needle in my back. He told me give it ten minutes before it would kick in.

Ten minutes passed and went, I felt the pain get worse and worse. Peeta called Dr. Aurelius to complain, but he had no solution. I waited six more hours in excruciating pain, Peeta was there the whole time. Dr. Aurelius checked me a few more times over the next four hours, finally Dr. Aurelius checked me and said that I could start to push. Peeta help my left leg and a mid wife held my right. My mom and Mrs. Mellark were in front of me. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Rest." Dr. Aurelius said, I had been pushing for twenty minutes and I was too tired to keep going. "On the next contraction or the next, I think we might have a little baby with us." He says, this somehow gives me the strength I need. "One, two, three, I see the head, four, five, six, Katniss, look down here, you can see her come out," I close my eyes and tears start to flow down my face, not from the pain I'm in, but of sadness. "I don't want to see her." I scream back at Dr. Aurelius "seven," he keeps on counting, "eight, nine, ten," and I hear the room start to fill with faint cries. "IT's defiantly a girl." he says, but this only makes me cry even harder. Peeta comes back to me, "I love you so much, and we're going to make it through this." I can tell Peeta started to cry too, my cries soon turned into sobs. We hear her cries take up the room. My mom and Mrs. Mellark are cooing over her. "Katniss, Peeta, you should really take a look at this, it is quite amazing." My mom says.

Her cries are still filling the room while they're weighing her. "Why aren't they taking her out." Peeta asks while sobbing too. "Peeta you have to be strong for her." Mrs. Mellark comforts.

Peeta and I both agreed that Haymitch and Effie and can hold her first, but I want to now. I didn't carry her for nine months for nothing. My mom and Mrs. Mellark go out to the lobby and tell everyone the news and try to keep them entertained for a bit while Peeta and I get some family time. I hold Ainsley in my arms, carefully holding her. "Hi baby," I say, before the tears come back, I look up at Peeta, "How can you love someone so much you just met?" I ask him, "She looks just like you Katniss," Peeta states, right when Peeta says that, she opens her eyes, crystal blue eyes, she may have my face structure, but she has brown hair, just like mine, but Peeta's eyes. I'm still in awe, Peeta and I created this beautiful baby.

Dawn comes in the room bringing Haymitch and Effie in with her. We fill out the adoption forms, my mom said she would refuse to sign them, but she actually did sign it! I put down the pen, _wow_ I thought, _Haymitch and Effie have full custody over her now. _Another doctor comes in filling out her birth certificate, we still have to sign it, Ainsley Gabrielle Abernathy, Born September 10, 2340, weighing seven pounds and three ounces, 21 inches long.

"Would you like to hold her?" I ask Effie, she holds out her arms and coo's over her as does Haymitch. "We have a gift we would like to give you Katniss," Effie says and pulls out a bag, I open it and it is a necklace, I read it, _Always with me _it read. "I'll explain," Effie says, "you two gave us a gift, we could never thank you enough for. And I have a necklace too, and so will Ainsley, and we'll give it to her when she's old enough to understand all of this. And how special she is." Both Peeta and I are crying now. We both hug and talk to Ainsley too, I hand the letters to Haymitch and Effie that we wrote, we also asked them to give it to her when they feel that she's old enough to have it.

By the time Haymitch and Effie read the letters, they're both in tears, we're now a family too. Because of this one baby, she brought families closer. She even had an influence on Mrs. Mellark and my mom. Both people I never thought would come around.

Hours later, I check out of the hospital, I'm wheeled out. I hold Ainsley during this, I stare down at her and realize she is an exact replica of me. I hand her off to Haymitch and Effie. They both give us one last big bear hug and strap her in her pink car seat. We watch them drive away with our daughter in it. Peeta and I have our arms around each other finding comfort in each other. I stare at Peeta and he stares back at me. I guess it's time to go home, I'm a lot smaller now (even though I still have my baby weight), I won't have trouble sleeping at night now, but it's so weird carrying her for nine months, feeling her move around, seeing her grow in my womb, and go into the hospital and now leave with nothing?

Its, Friday, both Peeta and I took the day off from school. I haven't eaten since yesterday, I'm not hungry. I'm tired and depressed. I'm still in shock wondering how I could just give her away. The weekend passes by and I have hardly eaten a thing, all I can think about is Ainsley and how she is doing. I want to be her mom. Its' going to hurt when we visit her hearing her calling Haymitch and Effie her mommy and daddy, when Peeta and I are her daddy and mommy. I wonder if she knows that Haymitch and Effie are not her parents. Especially Effie because a baby knows their mom from their heartbeat I've heard.

Like I promised myself, I wasn't going to get behind in school. On Monday, I started my regular routine. I got up at 6:30 and got ready for school. Peeta picked me up, he tried to cheer me up, but I'm in such a bad depression right now. I guess he's trying to act like none of this ever happened I feel even more alone than I did before. No one understands, Peeta tries to, but he didn't carry Ainsley for nine months and give birth to her and suddenly let her go. Dawn was right, it takes so much inner strength to let go. I feel selfish for wishing that I'm caring for Ainsley.

I sit in the front row in first period. Almost everyone in the school laughs or whispers about me. They don't know me, they don't know what I'm going through right now. My cheeks are stained with tears, and Mr. Anderson notices. After class he had me stay after to discus what I'm feeling. Which only makes me cry more and makes me wish more and more I'm caring for Ainsley. My eyes become red and puffy from all of the crying.

Second period isn't good, they go on with class and I'm crying, everyone stares, but no one knows what I'm going through. No one. We have test in second period too, when she collected it, I didn't even attempt number one. The bell rings dismissing us to our next class. Everyone is staring at me for crying. I hear whispers about me too. I don't even try to hear what awful things they're saying about me now.

When I walk into third period, Peeta greets me with a hug and does his best to wipe my tears. "Peeta." I say, "I want Ainsley back. I want to raise her." Peeta hugs me even tighter now. "So do I, but we already signed the papers signing over the custody to Haymitch and Effie." When class starts, Mrs. Banks goes on about the Holocaust and how many people, including children died. When Mrs. Banks mentioned children dying, I got up, and calmly walked out of class. I can't talk about children dying right now, I'm too sensitive to the word 'child' I hear Mrs. Banks ask Peeta is he wanted to follow me. I don't know where I'm walking, but I stop in the courtyard, and sit on a bench next to a bush of primroses. "Katniss!" I hear Peeta yell, I don't look up, because he'll see how much I've really been crying. When Peeta reaches me, he wraps me in a big bear hug, I sob into his chest, and he whispers comforting words, but they don't help, "Katniss, I knew you'd feel like this, and so Dawn and I made you an appointment, after school today, to visit with another teen mom who chose adoption." I nod and at least I can talk to someone in my situation. He convinces me to walk back to class, and when we walk in, the whole class stares like we'd just kill someone.

The rest of the day, I actually look forward to meeting with another teen mom who chose adoption. School finally lets out, and Peeta dropped me off at Dawn's office. I walk towards her office and see that the women I'm meeting with is already there. As soon as I walk in she gets out of her chair and gives me a big hug. "Hi, I'm Leah." She says, "Katniss." I say. Before things could get awkward, Dawn suggested that we go on a walk to get to know each other and get some fresh air.

We walk into town in silence, it's only September, but I can feel the summer air start to fade and the fall air comes. "How did you feel a few days after the birth?" I say out of no where. "Well," she begins, "I was depressed, I didn't want to do anything, my friends and father of my baby tried to cheer me up, I just wanted my daughter. It's hard. And you're going to feel terrible feel like you want to die at points, people whisper and make bully you about it, but all you can do is move on. Enjoy seeing her grow up through the pictures and the few times you can see her in person. My daughter, Caroline, told me she hated me. That hurt. But I'll know she'll thank me for choosing adoption instead of making her grow up where she would have if she was with me." I nod and take in the advice.

"Dawn told me that Peeta, I'm assuming your baby daddy, was really excited and supportive while being pregnant." Leah says. I chuckle at that. "Yeah, he's the best, we've been dating for five years almost six." I added. I talk more and more what Peeta is like, and I start to appreciate him even more when Leah mentions that her baby daddy came around when she was seven months pregnant. I make a mental note to tell Peeta how much he really means to me and how thankful I am that he was supportive of me being pregnant.

Leah and I talk for another hour or two discussing what it's like when she gets older. We walk back to Dawn's office when she tells me she has to go. I'm happy that Peeta and Dawn had me talk to another teen mom who went through the same thing I did. I decided I want to tell Peeta how much he means to me tonight. I walk back into town to the bakery. I don't get as many stares as I do in school, but I can tell some people are staring. When I walk through the door, Peeta is about to end his shift at the bakery. "Hey, how was the meeting with Leah?" he asks making his way over to me. "It was good. Really helpful actually." I bring him into a tight hug, we stay like this for a minute or two, even when Peeta tries to pull away, I keep him in my arms. "Katniss? Are you sure you're fine?" Peeta asks me. I take a deep breath and tell him what I promised myself I'd do. "I love you Peeta. I love you so much. I don't deserve you and I made you to put your daughter up for adoption. But thank you for being there and never leaving me. You were always so supportive to me, and I just wanted to tell you how much you mean to me." I smile and him, he pulls me in for a passionate kiss. I may not have Ainsley with me now, but in my heart, she will always be with me.

Peeta and I lay sit at the lunch table together, people still whisper about me, but I pay attention to that anymore because I know what I did was right. I wear the bracelet Effie gave me everyday. Ainsley is about two months old now, Peeta and I look at the pictures that Haymitch and Effie sent us, Ainsley is an exact replica of me, but with Peeta's crystal blue eyes. Effie says she's still young, but Ainsley will put up a fight if she isn't ready to go to bed yet. "Sounds like someone I know." Peeta jokes around and I nudge him in the rib cage. I still talk to Leah for advice a lot. But Haymitch and Effie kept their promise and keeps us updated about Ainsley.

Peeta takes me home from school, I made a point to try to regrow my relationship with Prim because I need her in my life. And, I even try to start a relationship with my mom.

This whole experience made Peeta and I grow together, it made us strong individually, but also stronger as a couple. It took all my strength not to cancel the adoption and bring her home with me. I know I choose the right choice even if other people say otherwise. I hope Ainsley decides not to become a teen mom because of how hard it is with school and people bullying you. I got to keep my scholarship for soccer and I'm slowly starting to become back and shape, like I promised myself earlier, I kept up with school after she was born. Johanna still isn't talking to me, but I've found out who my true friends really are, and decided to spend my time with people who care for me.


	8. Chapter 8

**I'll do a few chapters of an epilouge of Ainsley growing up, some will be from Peeta's POV, Katniss' POV, Ainsley's POV (when she gets older) and maybe even Haymitch's and Effie's POV.**

Katniss' POV

The last year of high school has flown by, and tonight is Senior Night for soccer. Peeta and I married last month, on December 15. It was a small wedding that was my family and Peeta's. And Haymitch and Effie who managed to make it from District 1. Ainsley is 16 months old. We've visited her in District 1 several times. She's introduced us to some of her friends from her play group and her daycare. I've talked to Leah several more times for some more advice. It helps to be able to confide in someone who knows what I went through. I'm nervous for Senior Night. I never thought in my freshman year my senior year I would have a 16 month old daughter who lives with other parents.

The younger classmates made their shirts supporting the seniors. Our coach, Parker, who's a freshman teacher, we all gather in his classroom. It hits me that this is more than likely our last time meeting in his classroom for our pregame, if we win in Districts and Regionals, and State Semi's we might have another home game. Parker tells us it's time for the game. We walk from his classroom to the stadium.

We're playing another team from District 12, while they're warming up, we start introducing the Seniors and their speeches. I worked hours on it. I wanted it to be perfect, I'm the first senior to go out. I hold Ainsley's hand, hook arms with Peeta, my mom, Haymitch and Effie.

"Katniss Everdeen, she is escorted by her 16 month old daughter Ainsley, her mom, sister Prim, husband Peeta, and her daughter's adoptive parents Haymitch and Effie." The announcer read aloud, we start our walk across the field. "Katniss is graduating with a 4.2 GPA. Here is her speech she wrote: Where do I even begin? The past four years have been the best and some of the hardest years of my life. My freshman year, I focused just on friends, school, and soccer. Half way through my sophmore year, my husband, Peeta, and I made a big mistake, but that mistake also resulted in a new life. Peeta stuck by me the entire time, we thought about keeping her, adoption, we found the parents we wanted, it was a perfect match. One night, Peeta and I babysat his one year old cousin, and that night I also called Haymitch and Effie telling them I wanted to cancel the adoption, but I thought it through, and decided to stick with the adoption. I was bullied a lot. I never knew how harsh kids could be, they pointed, laughed, whispered about me, called me names, and did pretty much whatever else you could think of. I never understood why people would make fun of me if they didn't know my story. But I pulled through with the help of Peeta. After I gave birth, it tore me in half, I heard her crying and I wanted to make her feel better. But I couldn't get attached to her. At first I didn't want to hold her, but I eventually gave in. Haymitch and Effie gave me a necklace that said always with me, Effie has one, and so does Ainsley, and she'll get it when she's older and able to understand just how special she is. Thank you to my mom and Prim who have always been there for me. Thank you to my amazing in-laws who have also always helped my family out when needed...thank you to our Principle Snow, I know you would always rather watch a basketball game or football game, but thanks for always coming to ours too. Thank you to all the coaches and teachers who have helped me get this far. But the most important think I've learned in high school is tomorrow will be kinder."

The speech took me forever to write, but it was worth it. Everyone was cheering and clapping. I have replaced some of my old friends who ditched me because I was pregnant. What they say in high school is true. You really do find out who your true friends are.

We do our national anthem and start to play, it was hard to believe that more than likely this is my last home game. The reff blows his whistle to start to the game. I hear Ainsley in the stand scream "Go Katniss." We haven't told her that Peeta and I are really her mom and dad, but when she's ten, we'll tell her for sure. I scored two goals for a 2-0 win. We start play offs next week and hopefully win a bid at the championship for District 12 and maybe go on to nationals.

Peeta, Effie, Haymitch, and Ainsley congratulate me on the win. Peeta drives me back to my house and Effie, Haymitch, and Ainsley drive back to their hotel. Peeta or I haven't really said much this whole ride him, Peeta breaks the silence. "Katniss?" Peeta asks, "Yeah." "You know how Haymitch and Effie are leaving back for District 1 in two days?" I nod my head wondering where this is going. "Well, they wanted to look around District 12 alone, and were wondering if we wanted to watch Ainsley." He says. A big smile forms across my face. I give him a peck on the lips and bring him into an embrace. Peeta had to pull off the road so we could finish talking about this. "I'm taking that as a yes?" He asks and I nod.

We haven't been around Ainsley alone since she was born. "Okay, the said they would drop her off at the bakery around nine." Peeta got back on the road and drove me home. I quickly undress and soak in the bucket. Tomorrow is going to be an amazing day.

**Peeta's POV**

When Effie and Haymitch asked if Katniss and I wanted to baby sit Ainsley for the day tomorrow, I was shocked. I hope we don't get to attached to her, especially Katniss, because she leaves the next day. When I asked Katniss if she wanted to babysit Ainsley, the reaction she had was priceless. I drove home after I dropped Katniss off at her house. I undressed and got ready for bed. I tried to fall asleep, but I could only think about the type of day the three of us would have.

I see the sun's rays shine through my blinds. I don't even remember falling asleep. I glance at my clock, it's 8 a.m, I still have a hour before they'll drop off Ainsley. I get out of bed and get ready for the day. I put on a blue collared shirt and some khaki shorts. I walk down the stairs into the bakery and start on some breakfast. Maybe Ainsley will want some pancakes... I start the stove and begin to mix the batter.

I hear footsteps behind me and turn around, it's Haymitch. I smile, even though he is 30 minutes early. "Sorry we are a little early. Effie wanted an early start." He smiles at me and hands me her bag filled with some of her baby things. "I'll pick her up around 7. Thanks again for watching her." I smile, "No problem, anytime." I say with a smile. Haymitch exists the bakery leaving just Ainsley and me.

"Eeta?" Ainsley says, I smile at the fact that she can't pronounce my name right. "Yes honey?" I ask. "I'm hungry." she says and lifts up her shirt pointing to her tummy. I chuckle and pick her up. "Do you want to help me make breakfast and wait until your mo- I mean Katniss gets here?" She nods. I don't want her near the hot stove and put her at risk for burning herself, so I drag over a highchair and place her in it. I make the pancakes and she eats them. I hear the door open to the bakery.

"Hi guys." Katniss says and comes over to me and gives me a quick peck on the lips. "Ewww, kissing's gross. Mom and Dad do it all the time." She giggles and Katniss winces at her calling Haymitch and Effie her parents. Katniss and Ainsley eat their pancakes. Ainsley even tries to help me clean up the dishes, I wonder what our life would have been like if we would have kept her. _Stop saying that Peeta. You can't get too_ _attached__ to her._

"We should go for a walk in the park, it's nice outside." Katniss suggests, it's weird how snow has not even started to drop yet even though the temperature is really cold. Katniss grabs her coat and I dress Ainsley in hers. Ainsley walks between both of us each grabbing one of our hands with her tiny ones. Ainsley gives us a lecture about her adventures in District 1. Katniss and I nod and ask her questions about it. We play on the swings, monkeybars, and Ainsley shows us what she can do on the flip bar. We take her out to lunch. Before we know it, all three of us are upstairs on the couch. Ainsley rests her head on Katniss's lap and her legs go across my lap, I have my arm around Katniss and she snuggles inward, I hope one day Katniss and I can have another baby and raise this one ourselves, when we are older of coarse. "Katniss, I'm going to get Ainsley's things ready, Haymitch and Effie will pick her up any time now." I say to Katniss who nods.

I pack her diapers, clothes, and some of her toys in the bag Haymitch gave us. I reflect back on this day, how perfect it was. I got to spend it with my wife and daughter. It almost makes me sad that Ainsley will be going home tomorrow, we won't see her again until we graduate in May. I hear the door to the bakery open, I'm sure it's Haymitch and Effie so I walk down stairs to greet them. I smile when I see them both looking around cluelessly to where all three of us might be. "How was your day?" Effie asks with a big smile across her face. I smile, "It was good. Thank you so much for letting us look after her. Katniss and I really enjoyed it." Haymitch puts a hand on my shoulder, "No problem, you gave us a gift that we could never repay you for." He says. I lead them upstairs and see Katniss has fallen asleep across the couch and Ainsley rests her head on Katniss' chest. Effie gets really emotional and almost get teary eyes.

"

Katniss." I shake her shoulder. "Katniss, we need to say goodbye to Ainsley, Haymitch and Effie are here." Katniss slowly wakes up and sits up holding onto Ainsley, she would really make a great mother. She gets up holding Ainsley to her chest. We walk them down the stairs. We say our goodbyes to Haymitch, Effie, and Ainsley because we won't be seeing them until May, when we graduate from high school. "Katniss, remember the reason why we chose adoption." I say knowing that Katniss might start to cry. "I know. It just hurts to see Ainsley call Effie and Haymitch mommy and daddy, while she calls us Peeta and Katniss." I see the tears prick in the corner of her eyes. "I'm going home." She says and walks away, but giving me a quick kiss first.

**Effie's POV **

I hated taking Ainsley away from Katniss. She would be such a great mom even though she is young. I balance Ainsley on my hip and she rests her head on my shoulder. Haymitch is walking right by my side on this chilly evening. I think the first snow flakes are starting to fall. I wonder what Ainsley thinks of Katniss and Peeta. I wonder if she realizes that she is the exact replica of Katniss, excluding her eye color, that belongs to Peeta.

It always hurts visiting Katniss and Peeta then we leave and I can see the hurt in Katniss' eyes. I wonder if she regrets the adoption now. Haymitch guides us to the hotel we're staying at. We walk through the lobby and to our room on floor 4. "I'm going to be in the exercise room." Haymitch says and leaves Ainsley and I. I lay Ainsley down on the bed and go through her bag of clothes looking for her pajamas. "Mama?" Ainsley says, I thought she was asleep. "Yes Honey?" I say turning back around. "Who's Peeta and Katniss?" She asks, her crystal blue eyes beaming at me. We agreed not to tell Ainsley until she was 10, we felt she would fully understand her situation at this age. "They're just family friends." I say. "I wuve them." She says and yawns during the sentence. "So do I Ainsley. So do I." I say and undress her and dress her in a white shirt and orange pajama pants. I put her in her portable crib we brought with us and I go to bed. We have to wake up at 7 to catch our train back to District 1 at 8:15.

I don't remember Haymitch coming to bed last night. But I see him next to me. Our wake up call went off, I get up. I get ready first then I wake Haymitch and Ainsley up. They're both heavy sleepers and a pain to wake up early, "Rise and shine sleepy heads." I say and turn on all of the lights. "Effie!" Haymitch yells, "What the heck?" I laugh, and get Ainsley up. After some more yelling and crying, we finally made it to the train station.

Ainsley is on Haymitch's lap asleep. "You'll never guess what Ainsley said about Katniss and Peeta last night." "What?" Haymitch says half asleep. "She asked who Katniss and Peeta were, and that she loved them." This wakes Haymitch up. "What? What did you say?" He asks, "I told her that they were family and friends. And that I love them too." He smiles, "Time will pass by too quickly and soon she'll know were not her real parents." He adds. "Yeah." I mumble putting an end to the conversation.

We finally arrive back in District 1. Ainsley slept most of the way home, so now, she is bouncing off the walls with energy. She is starting to ask all these questions, Peeta and Katniss are also making an appearance in the questions as well. Ainsley is starting back daycare tomorrow, she goes twice a week, and tomorrow is show and tell, she told me she wanted to bring the picture of her Peeta and Katniss that we took over the weekend.

**Ainsley's POV**

Mommy dropped me off at daycare this morning. I miss Eeta, he would always make me pancakes for breakfast, now I have to have cereal. I hold my picture for show and tell in my hands. Mommy signs me in and gives me a kiss goodbye and leaves. "Hi." It's Hannah! She's my bestest friend. "What did you bring for show and tell?" She asked. "It's a surprise." I whisper.

"Okay class take your seats." Our teacher Mrs. Wells said. I take my seat next to Hannah and this guy named Nathan and another girl named Logan. "Did you guys remember that it was show and tell?" She asks, "Yes!" We all scream. "That's good, now I'm going to draw names on who will go first." _Please be me. _I cross my fingers. "Ainsley. You'll be going first."

I smile and hop out of my chair and make my way to the front of the room. I take the picture out of envelope and hold it up. "These are my friends. Peeta and Katniss. I visited them over the weekend." I smile when the class starts to clap. "Wow, Ainsley you look a lot like your mom and dad." Mrs. Wells says. "No silly. Peeta and Katniss aren't my mom and dad. They're my friends." I correct her. Where did she think that these are my parents? "Yes they are!" Hannah shouts. "You look just like the girl in the picture. Maybe she's your sister." "No, they're my friends. Not my family." I say and start to sit down.

The rest of the class does their show and tell, I like mine the best though. I color and play with Hannah for the rest of the day. And before I know it, Mommy is here to pick me up. "Can I talk to you?" I hear Mrs. Wells ask Mommy. "Is the girl in the picture Ainsley's mom?". Mommy sighs. "Yeah she is, we adopted her and the guy in the picture is her dad, they were 16 when they had her. Their parents didn't get along and wanted her to have a better life." Mommy says. _So Katniss is my mom and Eeta is my dad? No they can't be because you can't have two mommies and daddies. _ I want to ask Katniss about this.

On the ride home, I didn't ask about Katniss or Peeta because I don't think Mommy wanted to talk about it. I wuve them, and I wish I could see them more often than just a few times a year. But what if Peeta and Katniss are my mommy and daddy? Why do I have two mommies and two daddies? Why does Hannah only have one mommy and one daddy? All these questions make my head hurt.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry, I haven't updated in a while, but here is the last chapter of this story. Thanks again for everyone who read it and reviewed, made it their favorites, followed it. I apologize for types of mistakes, I'm bad at proof reading. Also, some asked why Katniss and Peeta aren't living together, lets say because they both were underage at the time. Some people asked what gave me the idea for this story, well my parents were 16 when they had me. I'm thankful that they chose to give me a better life and gave me up for adoption. But it's not just hard on the birth parents, but also their kid, because they might not be able to meet their actual parents. I'm fifteen on April 26, and I've never met my birth parents, I want to, but I probably won't get that chance but I love them so much and always will. :'( **

**Ainsley's POV 8 years later**

I stare out the car window and all I see is trees and more trees. I finally turn ten tomorrow, and Mom and I are picking up Katniss and Peeta up at the train station who are arriving in town for my birthday. "Are you excited Peeta and Katniss are coming into town?" My mom asks, "Yeah, I really like them. How did you and Dad meet them?" I ask, Mom or Dad nor Peeta or Katniss have ever told me how they all meet each other. "We're just family friends." Mom says but sounds nervous, this is the same answer I get whenever I ask this question.

I sigh, I wonder how they really met. Katniss and Peeta are too young to be family friends, we're 16 years apart. I always ponder about what if I was adopted by Haymitch and Effie who are the parents I call 'mom' and 'dad', I look nothing like Mom or Dad, but look exactly like Katniss besides my eyes, I think they look a lot like Peeta's. I make a mental note to ask Katniss or Peeta. I think maybe they'll tell me.

When we arrive at the train station, I see crowds of people walking from their train and some running to their train trying not to miss it. I sit on the bench that I is Peeta, Katniss' and I's meeting place when they visit us. "I'll be getting some food." Mom whispers and walks away to find some concessions.

I think about the possibility of Katniss and Peeta being my birth parents. I have a picture of Katniss and I in my room, and all my friends thought she was my sister, I brought the same picture in for show and tell one time, the teacher thought she was my mom. I guess you could say I'm an exact replica of Katniss. And my eyes are the same as Peeta's. I'm deeply in my thoughts when I see Mom, Katniss, and Peeta standing right in front of me. "Are you okay?" Katniss asks, I look right at her, and I'm brought back to the thought of her being my birth mom. "Yeah, I'm fine." I say and get up and hug both of them. I fake a smile and hopefully they can't tell what I'm thinking about.

Before we go home, Mom takes us out to lunch. I sit down next to Katniss on the booth. I can't get the thought out of my head about them being my birth parents. No matter what I do, that thought is always there. "Ainsley?" I shake my head, "Ainsley tell the waiter what you want to drink." Mom says, "I'll just have a water." The waiter nods and goes off into the kitchen. I sit quietly, until I notice one of my friends, Morgan. I try to silently to get her attention. It takes me a while at first, mainly because I didn't want to look stupid or draw attention to myself. We agreed to meet in the bathroom. Well at least I think she meant the bathroom.

"I have to use the bathroom." I say and quickly excuse myself. I walk to the back of the diner and into the bathroom. "Holy crap Ainsley." Morgan says and grabs my shoulders. She startles me as I walk in the bathroom. "That lady looked exactly like you. Like it's almost like you're cloned. Like I'm not even joking. And that guy across from you, he's really hot. Do you know how old he is?" Morgan continues on about this. I wonder how I'm going to tell her. "Morgan." I say, "Calm down. I have something very important to tell you, but you have to swear you won't tell anyone." Morgan may be really crazy and everything, but she would never tell anyone someone else's secrets.

I take a deep breath, than another. "I think I'm adopted. And those other two people you saw out there are my parents." I say, Morgan stares at me blankly. "I think I'm adopted. And those other two people you saw out there are my parents." I say really slowly. "I got that part." Morgan says. "I'm just trying to process that your parents are not really your parents." She says. I nod in agreement. "That's crazy." She says again. "I know. I have to go, I don't want them to worry." I say.

I walk back over to our table keeping a normal expression. "We were wondering what took you so long." Peeta says, he's right, I guess I didn't realize how long I was in the bathroom because my food is already here. I don't really eat, I just pick at it. I order a to go box for my food, I'll just have it for dinner. My mom looks at me like she is worried about me, but I convince her I am fine.

When we pull up in the driveway, I walk up the stairs and into my room and lay on my bed facing the ceiling. My room is a bright pink with animal print pillows. I play soccer, so I have a ton of soccer uniforms everywhere. I have nail polish scattered along my vanity. Some of my friends have already started that makeup and straightening your hair stage, but honestly, I could care less about all of that stuff. I hear a knock on my door, "Come in." I say, I see Peeta and Katniss walk in along with Haymitch and Effie. "Could we talk to you deary?" Mom asks, I nod and follow them downstairs.

Mom sits me down in a chair, Mom and Dad sit next to each other on the couch to my left and Peeta and Katniss sit next to each other on my right. I'm a little nervous what they have to tell me. "Well, we agreed to tell you this when you were ten, but I guess this is close enough." Katniss starts, and I can tell she fakes a smile, "When I was 16, I was dating the love of my life. But one night, we made a mistake, and that mistake made me become pregnant, and I was only 16." She stops and Peeta takes over, "When I was 16, I was also dating the love of my life. And when she told me she was pregnant, I was ecstatic, because I've always wanted to be a dad. But when we really thought about us raising a kid, we couldn't support it, we couldn't live together as a family, our families weren't too fond of each other." Peeta says and Katniss continues on, "And that is when we felt adoption could be the best thing for us, but also our baby, and that is when we meet Haymitch and Effie." _Haymitch and Effie? As in my Haymitch and Effie who are my parents' first names? _

I don't know what made me get up and run out the door, I could hear them calling my name after me, but I kept running. I ran down towards the end of the street, and ran under the fence into the woods. I don't think Mom or Dad knows I go out here, but this is where I think things through or come to relieve some stress or whatever. The farther I get into the woods, the thicker the trees gets. It's easy to get lost, but I know these woods by heart. I run deeper and deeper until I find a nice tree to climb. The tears are coming harder and harder down my cheeks. I think about going back home so I don't worry them too much, but I decide to stay here. I've spent many nights in the forest, but none in a while. I walk a little deeper and it's a cabin my friends and I found a year or two ago. I collect some firewood and make a fire to stay warm. We kept sleeping bags and pillows and I'm grateful for that because I can feel the temperature dropping. Even though it is mid September, the nights start to get cold around this time.

I put out the fire because I don't anyone knowing that I'm here, I pull the blankets tighter to me and drift off to sleep. I wake up and doze back off, I repeat this pattern several times. I hear several sirens throughout the night, I wonder if some of them are for me? Would they really go through all that trouble just to find me? I don't know. But I'm sure I'll find out in the morning when I get a long lecture about this.

I never realized how much the temperature is dropped this time of year. I'm tempted to start a fire, but I don't want anyone to find me. I decide I will just try to ignore the cold. I shiver, and shiver more. I don't know why I'm still here. I'm sure Mom, Dad, Peeta and Katniss would be relieved if I came home right now. I doze off again and woken up again from being so cold. I wonder if I can get hypothermia or frostbite. I think hypothermia is from being wet and cold. I hope so at least. The cabin is small, and barely enough room for me. I thought that this would help with preserving heat, but I guess I found my answer.

It gets colder and colder. I think about going home now, but these woods are dark and it's very easy to get lost in here. I've heard that you could walk in circles in the woods at night and not even know it. I find the other sleeping bag and make due with what I have. I hear the birds chirp and that's how I know it's morning...my birthday. I hope out of bed and fold up the sleeping bags trying to make the cabin look deserted. I hope my eyes are not stained red from crying, but there is no mirror in sight.

It has been a while since I've walked back from the cabin to my house. I lose my place several times, but soon find a familiar sight and keep following it. But it still does take a while longer to get back home. I exit the woods and start to walk down the street to my house, I can tell that there are police cars. Boy am I in some deep trouble. When I get to the front door, I take a few deep breaths trying to gather the strength from somewhere to walk inside the door. I open it, I walk down a hallway that then leads into the family room, Katniss spots me first, she comes running up to me and hugs me, Peeta soon joins. I hug them both tight as if I let go, I'll be pulled away by something.

"I'm sorry." I mumble into Katniss' shirt, "I'm sorry." Peeta strokes the back of my hair, and this is the first time that we are hugging each other as a family. Well we have hugged other times, but I didn't know they were my parents. "Are you mad?" I ask pulling away from the hug. "No, we were just worried, you're going to have a long lecture later tonight." Mom says, I knew that this was coming. Better now than later I guess.

They get things cleared up with the police and they're on their back to the station. After they leave, the four of them surround me, "So, uh, how long am I grounded for?" I ask, I'm expecting at least a solid month of no electronics or friends over. But what Mom says next surprises me, "We're not punishing you. We understand that that was a lot to take in, but we are disappointed in you on how you handled it." Mom says, "You remind me on how Katniss handles her problems." Peeta says and Katniss elbows him in the rib cage playfully.

Over the coarse of the day, I ask Peeta and Katniss what my real family is like. I have one aunt, Katniss' sister, and two uncles, Peeta's brothers. I don't know if I should call Haymitch and Effie Dad and Mom or Peeta and Katniss Dad and Mom. But when Katniss was my age, she was a soccer star, and that's where I get my soccer talent from. I was a little mad at them at first for not telling me about adoption and all, but now, I understand it. And next time I have a paper due on who I admire the most, I can do it on my birth parents.

The next day, I say good bye to Peeta and Katniss as they board a train back to District 12, I arrived late at school that day, and just my luck, we actually do get a paper due on who we admire due next week. Right when I get home I start working on the paper. They next few days fly by, its the day our paper on who we admire is due. I worked hours on it, because I wanted it perfect, but also because I want people to know how special my family situation is. I volunteer to go first, when I walk up in front of class, I get a little nervous but take a deep breath and begin:

_Everyone admires someone, some are athletes, our older siblings, influential people but my idol are my parents. I found out a few days ago, that I was adopted. My parents gave me up for adoption. They had me when they were both 16, at first I thought they didn't love me, but I know they chose adoption for because it was the best choice. _

_I was in close contact with both of my parents throughout my life, I was just told they were family friends. I'm an exact replica of my mother pretty much. During and after her pregnancy with me, she was bullied and called awful names. And even some told her that she wasn't taking responsibility for her mistake. Both of my parents parents didn't get along very well. My mom was from a poor part of town and she struggled to put food on the table after her dad died. And my dad lived in town, where the richer people lived. And his mom didn't want anything to do with a Seam person. They thought and thought about adoption and keeping me. When my parents babysat one of my dad's cousins, my mom said she couldn't give me up, but she knew it was the right choice to make. She told me that being a parent was about making sacrifices, and for me, they made the ultimate sacrifice. Giving me up. But also watching me call my adoptive parents 'mommy' and 'daddy' and not them. My mom explains that was the hardest part about the adoption. _

_When I was born, it was bittersweet for my adoptive parents and my birth parents. My mom said it was hard having someone grow inside of you for nine months and now all of the sudden, I'm gone and not there. One my birthday, during the hand off, where they give me to my adoptive parents, my real mom, my adoptive mom, and me all have bracelets that say: Always with me. And so I can realize how special I am_

_I just found out this weekend I was adopted, and I didn't take the news very well. I started to figure I had to be related to my birth parents some how because of much I resembled them. One thing I learned from my mom was to never give up, before she became pregnant with me, she was on a full time soccer scholarship, she was determined not to get that taken away, so she stayed kept up in school. I love my parents and my adoptive parents. I have realized how special I am, to have two sets of parents who love me very much. _

_The end._

The entire class is silent at first, but soon breaks out in applause. I sit down at my seat and my friend Nathan leans over and whispers good job to me. I just inspired a ton of kids and I do realize how lucky I truly am.

**a/n well this is the end of this story, but make sure to look at my other story Survival of the Fittest. **


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